5 stretching workouts made easy.
Your body feels tired and mentally you have been talking yourself out of the workout all morning.
If you have been exercising for any amount of time, I am sure you can relate to this scenario. So what should you do?
The take-home message… do something. Motion is lotion to your body.
7 reasons you are training with pain - and how to fix them [FREE guide].
If your training is not lifting you up and making you feel stronger and younger with more energy then something may be off with your training.
If you are typically more beat up and notice it is harder to lift weights as you did before then it is time for you to change your approach to training.
7-Day Strength and Mobility Reboot [FREE guide].
If you are having a harder time exercising or performing your daily activities, I have good news and bad news.
The bad news is that these issues WILL NOT resolve on their own. They will just get worse if left unchecked.
The good news is that, in most case, you can not only alleviate but actually resolve the issue in question.
The strategies in the 7-Day Strength and Mobility Reboot Guide will help you move better, have less pain, and get back to doing things you thought you could no longer do.
The strategies are simple and easy to do and there is a minimal time commitment involved. To make these work, consistency is the key. Follow the plan to start feeling better.
All exercise programs MUST start with an assessment.
You are thinking about starting an exercise program. You are ready. You are motivated and you are going to dominate and accomplish all of your goals. How do you know what exercises to start with?
Is it some random drawing by throwing exercises in a hat and pulling them out? Do you hit up the internet and find the latest and greatest to follow? Do you turn to Instagram and the girl with the painted-on yoga pants or the guy-that-never-seems-to-wear-a-shirt-in-any-video?
The right way to stretch your hip flexor [video].
Most people attempt to stretch the hip flexor incorrectly by moving too far forward and arching the low back too much. If this is you, watch the video. The key is the setup.
Brutal hamstring exercise [video].
This will punch your hamstrings right in the mouth. Set up with both knees bent, feet flat on the ground with a slider under one of your feet. Lift the foot that is not on the slider off the floor. Perform a single-leg bridge with the other leg. Once at the top of the motion, straighten the knee by sliding the foot away from the body. When the knee is extended, keep the hips on the floor, bend the knee and start again with the single-leg bridge.
Pullthroughs - a better way? [video]
This is a great alternative if using some attachment for the hands increases back pain or you find yourself pulling too much with the arms. Start by setting the pulley so it is around hip-height. Set the strap so it goes around the front of your hips. Set and brace your neutral spine position. Focus on keeping pressure through the heels and sitting back through the hips. To return to the start position, squeeze the glutes and push the hips forward. Avoid overextending the hips and straightening the body as this will cause you to lose your balance and fall back.
Spiderman stretch [video].
This is an excellent movement for mobilizing and stretching the hips. Start with the first position and progress to the others as needed. Remember, focus on a mild-to-moderate intensity in the hip and glute area when performing these. Start in a pushup position. Bring one leg forward to the outside of the arm. In the second video, bend the elbow and try to get it as close to the floor as you can. In the third video, rotate the arm up towards the ceiling. Make sure to rotate the body, not just the arm. One way to help do this is to keep your eyes on your hand. The arm should not travel where the eyes cannot follow it.