Ten minutes is all you need to open up your joints and improve recovery-assisting blood flow with this six-move sequence from F45 trainer Matt Wilman.
We all know we should stretch more.
Regular mobility work can improve post-exercise recovery, mobility and injury prevention – but there’s limited time to work out and chances are you want to spend all that time getting your sweat on.
The solution? This short sequence of stretches to prime and protect your body in ten minutes or less.
As this is a static stretching routine, it’s best saved for the end of your workouts when your muscles are warm.
Hold each stretch for 30 seconds on each side.
1. Low Lunge (hip flexors)
- Start by kneeling tall, then step one foot forward.
- Keeping your chest proud, tuck your pelvis under and squeeze your glutes, dropping your hips forward and down,
- Keep your weight in your front heel and don’t let your glutes relax.
2. Kneeling Lunge (quads)
- Start by kneeling on one knee.
- Keeping your core and glutes engaged and pelvis neutral, grab your back foot and pull it up toward your bum – be sure to keep your chest tall and allow your hips to press forward.
- If you feel comfortable, grab your foot with your other hand as well.
3. Half Kneeling Hamstring Stretch
- Again, kneeling on one knee, extend one leg out and place your heel on the floor.
- Pull your toes back toward your shin and drop your chest toward your knee.
4. Pigeon Pose (hips and glutes)
- Start sitting on your hip with both your knees at 90-degree angles.
- Raise your hips and make them square with your front leg, then drop them down onto the floor and take your chest forward over your front leg.
- This is quite an advanced stretch – if you feel any pain in you knee, allow your leg to bend further.
5. Twisted Cross (chest and shoulders)
- Start by lying on your front with your arms out to form a T shape.
- Crawl your right hand a couple of inches higher than the line of your shoulder and bring your left arm in under your chest.
- Now press with your left arm and reach your left leg up and over your right – try to place it flat on the floor.
- If you are very flexible you can continue to rotate your body until both feet are flat on the floor.
6. Thread the Needle (upper back)
- Start on all fours, with your hips stacked over your knees and feet apart so they remain in line with the knees.
- Keeping your knees and hips exactly where they are, walk your hands further out in front of you.
- Once you have reached a comfortable stretch, slide your right arm, palm up, along the floor under your left arm, allowing your shoulder and temple to rest on the floor.
- Remember to breathe.
Exercises courtesy of f45training.com
