13 Morning Stretches To Do Before Work
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Ever wake up in the morning, stiff and sore from the night before? Or find yourself rubbing your neck and shoulders or lower back during the day? Sitting at your home office desk all day will only continue to exasperate the problem, especially if you have an ill-fitting desk setup.
Instead of immediately sitting down at your desk with your coffee, try incorporating these easy beginner stretches into your daily morning routine. This full body stretching routine works from the head down to the toes to help you warm up tired muscles, increase blood flow, and help to promote flexibility.
Why Do We Stretch?
Contrary to popular belief, we don’t just simply stretch because it feels good. There are many physiological benefits that also come from stretching
Improved Circulation
Gently stretching sore muscles can help to improve circulation and blood flow by bringing fresh, oxygen-rich blood to the muscles and connective tissue. This improved circulation can also help to flush away metabolic waste and bring nutrients to the muscles, aiding in recovery.
Increased Flexibility & Mobility
When we sit for long periods of time, or remain immobile, our muscles shorten. When we stand, walk, or simply move around, the muscles are called upon to lengthen to move the joints. Long periods of inactivity leaves our muscles in a continuously shortened position, causing tightness and soreness throughout the body. Stretching helps to prevent this by lengthening the muscles as you flow through movements or hold in static stretches.
Improved Posture
Much like flexibility issues, continuously tight muscles can pull on joints and fascia in the body. This causes areas of the body to fall out of alignment and can lead to slouching and pain in the shoulders, back, or hips.
Helps Prevent Injuries
Without proper active stretching before high activity, such as weight training or running, muscles have not had time to properly lengthen and prepare for strenuous exercise. Muscle strains are far more likely to occur when not properly warmed up.
Promotes Calmness and Reduces Stress
Stretching stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps to promote the feeling of calm and relaxation. For this reason, stretching both when you wake up as well as before bed can have an impact on your mood and body’s ability to deal with stress.
What Are The Different Types of Stretches?
Stretches, whether they are upper body stretches or lower body, generally fall into two categories.
What is Static Stretching?
Static stretching is the act of holding a stretch for a period of time, allowing the muscles to relax and slowly lengthen. This is the most common stretch and often includes only one muscle group at a time. By holding one position for an extended period of time, you can press the muscle to its full range of motion. Static stretches are best done post-workout or when the muscles have been properly warmed up. Stretching “cold” muscles to their furthest point could cause strain or injury.
What is Dynamic Stretching?
Dynamic stretching, or active stretching, are movements that press a muscle through its full range of motion without holding. This may also involve multiple muscle groups or joints. Dynamic stretching is an ideal way to warm up before a sport, often by practicing similar variations of movements that you are about to perform.
Together, both types of stretches can be an important part of any morning stretch routine.
How Do You Stretch Safely?
Before you start any new stretch routine, make sure that you know the best practices to avoid injury or discomfort.
Don’t begin with static stretching
While these long stretches may feel good, starting your morning routine with static stretching may be too much for your muscles. Instead, warm the muscles and joints up with simple movements to stimulate blood flow first.
Stretch Slowly
This morning stretch routine is meant to be done in 10-15 minutes, but there is no rush! Instead, focus on what your body needs at that moment and take your time as you flow through the positions. It is also important to move through the movements slowly and smoothly to prevent tugging, jerking, or bouncing. All of these movements are unnatural and do not promote stretching and can cause muscle strains.
Do Not Over Stretch
While it may feel good to sink deeply into that stretch, it is possible to overstretch. If you feel pain or discomfort in your muscles, relax the stretch. This may be your body telling you that this is the further point that this muscle can lengthen. If you slowly release the muscle, on your next exhale, you can gently press into the stretch again, always being mindful to avoid any pinching or painful sensations.
Make Sure to Breathe
Stretching helps to stimulate blood flow and oxygen through the body, but it needs breath to do so. Help to get the most out of your stretch by taking long, slow inhales and exhales as you stretch to give your body the oxygen that it needs.
13 Morning Stretches to Do Before Work Each Day
Stretching Exercise List:
Neck Rolls
Dynamic Stretch
How to: Standing or sitting in a relaxed position, start by rotating your neck in a gentle, circular clockwise motion. Allow your head to gently rotate in its own natural range of motion, without rushing or pulling. When you feel ready, reverse the direction, continuing to gently roll your neck through the movement until the movement feels fluid.
Form tip: Keep your shoulders relaxed and don’t let them creep up to your ears. You want to create space through your neck and shoulders. Keep the movement slow and don’t rush. Take long, slow deep breaths as you perform this movement.
Shoulder Rolls
Dynamic Stretch
How to: Standing or sitting in a relaxed position, start slowly rolling your shoulders forward, working through their range of motion. Shrug your shoulders towards your ears and then slowly push them through a circular movement, creating as big of a circle as feels comfortable. When you are ready, reverse the direction of the shoulders.
Form tip: Keep your shoulders relaxed and don’t let your back arch. If it feels more comfortable, you can allow the elbows to flare out from the body or keep them close. You may feel some grinding or cracking as your body wakes up, but stop if you feel any pinching or discomfort. Take long, slow deep breaths as you perform this movement.
Neck Side Bends
Static Stretch
How to: With your left hand, tip your head towards your left shoulder and place the hand on your head. On your next exhale, slowly pull down on the head, bringing the ear closer to the shoulder. Hold while you slowly count to five. On each inhale, slowly release the tension on the head, and on each exhale, slowly sink deep into stretch as your body allows. When you feel ready, switch to the opposite side.
Form tip: Be aware of any jerking or pulling motions on your neck. This should be a gentle stretch, with only a slight pull on the head and neck.
Chest Opener
Static Stretch
How to: Clasp your hands behind your back, bringing the palms to touch if possible. Tip your chin towards the ceiling, pulling your shoulders back and opening your chest. On an exhale, gently pull down on your hands, keeping the shoulders pulled back to create a gentle upper body stretch through the shoulders. Continue pulling as you exhale and, on your next inhale, gently release the tension and repeat.
Form tip: Be aware of any jerking or pulling motions on your neck. This should be a gentle stretch, with only a slight pull on the chest and shoulders.
Rounded Fold
Dynamic Stretch
How to: Start in a standing position, with your hands stretched overhead. Slowly round your back and bring your hands towards the floor, bending your knees as necessary. Relax through the spine and let your arms hang. Slowly, rise back up to standing, focusing on rolling up through the spine. Imagine that you are trying to stack one vertebrae at a time as you come back to standing. Repeat as many times as necessary to warm up the spine
Form tip: Bend the knees to keep from locking out the legs and causing unnecessary pulling through the hamstrings.
Flat Back Fold
Static Stretch
How to: Find a table or chair that you can pull off from. Step back arms length and bring your head in between your arms. Bend your knees as needed. Slowly lean back, “pulling” on the table, feeling a shoulder and upper back stretch as you exhale.
Form tip: Make sure that the pull is coming from your shoulders by keeping your arms relaxed to avoid pulling with your biceps. This is another static stretch that can be easy to jerk through, so keep the movement centered around your breath.
Side Bends
Static or Dynamic Stretch
How to: Start in a standing position, arms raised overhead, palms touching. On your exhale, lean over to one side, feeling a stretch through the side body on the opposite side. On your inhale, rise back up to standing and alternate to the opposite side.
Optional: For a static stretch, hold the side bend at your farthest point for a deeper stretch.
Form tip: Keep your body in alignment. This means that your side bend is as if you were in between two panes of glass. You are not twisting either forward or back to protect the spine.
Spinal twists
Dynamic Stretch
How to: In a standing position, clasp your hands together in front of you, elbows wide. Gently twist back and forth, rotating through the spine.
Form tip: Don’t hold your breath.
Lower Back Stretch
Static Stretch
How to: In a standing position, press your palms into the small of your back, elbows flared, fingers pointed towards the ground. On your next exhale, press your palms into your lower back as you arch the spine, bringing your face towards the ceiling. On your inhale, gently come back up to standing.
Form tip: Let the head simply hang. Do not keep tension in the neck by trying to hold the head up.
Knee Hugs
Static Stretch
How to: In a standing position, lift one leg up, grabbing just below the knee and hugging it into the chest. Hold the knee against the body and slowly relax.
Form tip: Do not lean the chest forward as you lift the knee. Keep the body as vertical as possible, even if this means that you cannot touch the knee to the chest.
Standing Pigeon
Static Stretch
How to: Find a tall chair or table that you can place your leg on. Bending the knee and keeping the foot flexed, make a 90 degree angle with the leg as you set it on a table or chair. Slowly lean forward on your exhale, folding at the hips. You should feel a stretch through the hips and glutes on the lifted leg. On your inhale, slowly relax and release the stretch. On the next exhale, slowly deepen as you resume.
Form tip: Pigeon stretch can often cause overstretching. Slowly sink into the hip, but stop immediately if you feel any pinching or pain. Also, be mindful that you are not swinging into the stretch, but gradually deepening into the muscle to prevent pulling or muscle strain.
Calf raises
Active Stretch
How to: In a standing position, with feet directly underneath hips, rise up to your toes. Slowly lower down. Repeat until you feel a loosening in your calves and ankles.
Form tip: As you roll onto your toes, keep the ankles in line. Your weight should be between your big toe and second toe. Do not let the ankles roll in or out. If you need additional stability, place a hand on a wall or chair for support.
Ankle Circles
Active Stretch
How to: Either sitting or standing, put your weight into only one leg. With the opposite, slowly rotate your ankle in a clockwise motion, slowly through the full range, releasing any tension. When the ankle feels relaxed, reverse the direction.
Form tip: This isn’t about how fast you can circle the ankles, but rather, create large circles to stretch the ligaments and increase mobility in the joints.
