M i n d B o d y S p i r i t
Rise and Stretch
Your Dog Does It , and So Should You !
By Dina Voigt
1 . Long Body Stretch - When you first wake up , lie on your back legs straight . Reach your arms overhead to your headboard or wall and press your hands into the board / wall ... slide your body farther away from the headboard as needed until your arms are fully extended through the elbows . Press into the board and reach your legs in the opposite direction creating traction-like energy in your body . Imagine someone gently tugging your ankles toward the foot end of your bed and someone else gently tugging your wrists in the opposite direction . Tap into the idea of creating space between your vertebrae and in your joints . Reach through the right side of your body a little more than the left for a few breaths , stretching the ribs away from the hip and the hip and leg away from the armpit …. repeat this on the left side , and then stretch both sides equally again . Then reach the arms to the ceiling and roll the wrists and ankles around in both directions , wiggling the fingers and the toes . Shake the arms and legs out . Then relax there for a few breaths .
Dina demonstrates the seated long stretch , with side-bend variations any people underestimate the
Mbenefits of simple stretching . Almost every person has some kind of tightness , ache or pain in some place on their body . Simple stretching with awareness to alignment can help eliminate stiffness , prevent injury and provide pain-free movement throughout your day .
Dr . Robert Oexman , director of the Sleep to Live Institute , says : “ The greatest incidence of slipped discs occurs within 30 to 60 minutes after we wake up ,” he says . “ That ' s because we get out of bed and immediately hit the ground running .”
With or without pre-existing injury in the body , everyone is more “ stiff ” in the morning . It is important to move the body and stretch a bit before getting out of bed . Simple stretching gets blood and oxygen flowing through the body and to the extremities . This prepares the body and especially the spine for the load it will bear once you are vertical .
One thing I always say ; we should take a lesson from our animals , our family pets . Dogs and cats never just wake up and “ jump ” out of their beds ( unless they are startled awake , but once they collect themselves , they stop and stretch ). When they wake up , they always take a moment to stretch their legs , their toes , their backs , their necks . If you share your home with a four-legged friend , start observing them , and you will
undoubtedly notice them stretching every time they come out of slumber . Many yoga poses are named after animals and objects in nature ; Downward Facing Dog , Upward Facing Dog . I guarantee if you have a dog , he or she does these poses ( stretches ) multiple times per day .
Most humans , however , as Dr . Oexman states “ hit the ground running ” every morning . A common habit is to just sit up in bed and then stand , sauntering your way through your morning routine maybe with a few grunts and groans as you acknowledge the dull aches and pains you have become accustomed to and have accepted as “ the way it is .”
For most people , these familiar aches and pains , and stiff joints can be remedied with a few simple stretches you should do every morning before getting out of bed ! I tell my clients and students all the time , how important it is to stretch every morning before getting out of bed . And guess what ? Every one of them who actually does it has said it makes a big difference for them throughout their day .
So here are five simple stretches you should do every morning before getting out of bed . Be sure to keep a nice fluid breathing pattern while performing these stretches . Deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth .
2 . Single Knee Toward Chest - Still lying on your back slowly bend your right knee bringing the thigh toward your chest . Keep your spine long and your pelvis neutral , meaning don ' t tilt your hips back . Try not to bend your spine here , but keep it stable in a neutrally extended position . Relax your shoulders ( no shrugging or rounding ), keeping your collarbones wide and chin neutral . Take some deep breaths here . Keep the left leg long out on the bed and think of stretching it out of the hip . Repeat on the left side .
3 . Simple Twist - Still lying on your back , bend both knees feet flat on the mattress . Open your arms out to your sides a bit and simply drop your knees over to your right side . Stack your feet and keep your right shoulder from popping off the mattress . Keep your head centered , nose toward the ceiling , and collarbones wide . Keep your shoulder blades flat on your back ribs and breathe deeply here for a few breaths . Switch sides .
4 . Spinal Extension Beyond Neutral ( simple back arch with anterior ( forward ) pelvic tilt ) - Still lying on your back , knees bent feet flat on the mattress ( as with simple twist ), Arms down alongside the body . Inhale , and carefully roll your pelvis forward ( dipping pubic bone down between the legs ) and lift your waist slightly off the bed as if you were making room for someone to reach their hand under your back . Exhale and return your
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Autumn 2016 FIT to Print
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