Stretching regularly is vital to your good health. Not only does it keep your joints limber, it also encourages good circulation, helps to prevent stiff joints and some even believe that it helps to prevent emotional blockages and build ups too.
Stretching isn’t always an easy thing to do. For some time is the limiting factor – you simply don’t have enough time in your busy schedule to fit in a daily yoga session.
For others, unused muscles have become too stiff and aching to be able to stretch easily. The problem with that is – the longer you go without stretching, the more difficult it becomes.
Fortunately, there is a solution for both of these limitations! Stretching in the Shower is ideal for so many people because it time efficient and the warm water can sooth and ease your muscles into deeper stretches, that you may not have been able to achieve if your body was cold.
Because the warm water is drumming against your body, it not only warms your outer layers, it reaches deeper to relax your muscles below the skin, too.
Here is a great five minute shower stretch routine that you can do in the shower every morning to help you get loosened up and ready for your day.
Shower Stretching Routines
The following stretches are all performed under the warm, running water.
Standing Arm Stretches
Stand with your feet hip width apart, facing the wall that the shower head is mounted on.
Place your hands against the wall in front of you with your arms straight, but not locked. Push your hands into the wall while pushing your shoulders back and extending your spine. Bring your head between your arms so that your ears are between your shoulders. Relax your neck and push back against your arms. Then straighten up and bring your left arm back, placing your hand on the wall of the shower behind you.
Alternate arms so that you get both sides. Then stretch both arms behind you and raise your chest into the water, pushing your hands down behind you.
This set of stretches will loosen up your shoulder joints and improve the circulation in your arms.
Over Arm Stretch
Bring your left arm up above your head, turning your hand outwards and raise it over your head – stretching over. At the same time make your right shoulder soft and let the arm hang gently. Alternate arms so that you get them both.
Now pull your arms up above your head. Grab your left elbow with your right hand, behind your head, and pull it down towards your back. Now swap sides and do the other arm.
These stretches release tension in your shoulders and your upper back.
Two arm raise and dip
Facing away from the shower stream, lift both your arms up over your head, soften your shoulders and reach all the way up, breathing in. Then drop forwards from the hip as you exhale. Allow the water to massage your lower back while you try to bring your hands as close to the floor as you can. Gently roll back up.
This stretch loosens your spine and helps to release tension in your neck.
Back Bend
Turn to face the water. Reach your arms up above your head and lace your fingers together. Plant your feet squarely for balance. Now gently arch your back as far as you can comfortably bend backwards. Bring your arms back up and lower them to the wall in front of you. Keep your hands on the wall and on the next exhale, drop your torso towards the shower wall until your chest is pushed against the wall and your back is arched forwards, in the exact opposite direction the previous movement. Now you have stretched your back fully in both directions, and loosened your shoulders.
Leg Stretches
Base yourself with your hands against the wall of the shower. Now go up on your tip toes with your legs straight. Staying on your toes, extend your legs and lift your heels, then drop them again. Repeat this movement rapidly so that you “bounce”.
This stretch improves the circulation along the back length of your legs.
Knee Raise Stretch and Hip Opening
Bring your knee up in front of you, with the other foot firmly placed. Stabilise yourself against the wall if you have to. Bring the knee all the way up to your chest. Now gently pull the leg back so that your foot comes up to touch your buttocks.
Grab hold of the foot with your hand and pull it towards your body so that you feel the stretch in the front of your thigh. Without putting the foot down, gently bring it back to the front, and take hold of your knee. Pull the knee outwards to open your hips. Hold the position for a count of three seconds. Place your foot back on the floor of the shower and repeat with the other leg.
This is an important stretch to keep your pelvis loose and your hip flexes mobile.
Towel Dry and Leg Stretch
Turn off the water. Grab your towel if you want to. Lift your left foot and place it on the wall in front of you, with your foot flat against the wall. Your leg should form a right angel. Try to bring your nose down to your knee. Then turn your torso towards your right hip, stretching as you go.
Come back to the start position. Now straighten your leg up against the wall and stretch your torso down towards it, you should feel a slight pull below your knee. Repeat with the other leg.
This last set of stretches opens up the hip joints, while stretching out both your legs and the length of your spine. It’s good for mobility and general all round circulation.
After your stretching, you should get dry and dress warmly to avoid hurting your muscles by letting them get cold too fast. Do this routine every day to improve your circulation and activate all of your muscle groups.
If stretching is not for you, go to the next page to find out how you can use certain foods to relieve pain and lose fat at the same time. Dr Oz also features this fat loss and pain relief secret in his video –
About the Author:
Emma Deangela is the best selling author of The Alkaline Diet Program and 80/20 Fat Loss. She has helped over tens of thousands of men and women to lose weight and transform their health with sound nutrition advice. Trying to lose weight after the holiday binge? Learn how you can lose weight fast – How to lose weight by adding these alkaline foods.
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