Stretches to activate the body
Morning stretches are key to keeping our muscles energetic and avoiding injuries, headaches, or shortening that can cause discomfort. The solution? A very simple mobility routine to do every morning when you get up.
morning warm up
Let's look at some morning stretches you can do to improve your mobility in the morning.
1. Cat Stretch
The spine is the central axis of your body, if you don't move it you will feel stiff all day. That's why it's important to perform these exercises when you get up or even at certain times during the rest of the day.
To perform the cat stretch, get on all fours on the floor, place your hands at shoulder height and knees at hip width. Activate the abdomen by squeezing the navel and flex and extend your spine as much as you can, arching the lower back as much as possible, first raising the head and then arching so that the chin is brought to the chest. Hold each position for 5 seconds and repeat the cycle for 12 repetitions.
If you prefer to do this morning stretch on the wall instead of the floor, you can do it exactly the same way, resting your feet on the floor at the height of your hips and your hands resting on the wall at the height and width of your shoulders.
2. Side jack stretch
In the same position as the previous stretch but this time flexing your spine vertically, as if you wanted to touch your shoulder with your ear.
Repeat for both sides maintaining the position for 5 seconds.
3. Good morning
A mobility exercise that cannot be missing in your daily morning stretching routine. Stand tall with your feet close together and your arms extended up. Perform a pelvic anteversion, that is, stick your ass out as much as you can, extending your lower back and lowering your trunk with your legs fully stretched, feeling how your hamstrings stretch while also stretching your arms.
4. Basic squat
Stand up with your arms stretched out in front, slowly lower your torso while bending your knees, without bending your back at any time. Hold down for a few seconds and return to the starting position. You can go lower and lower until you manage to do a full squat.
5. Joint rotation of the shoulders
A basic, simple. To do the shoulder stretch, swing your arms back and forth for a few seconds. Try to make the turn as close to your body as possible, for this you can stand next to a wall or cabinet, with your hip touching it and try to rotate your arm without taking your hip off the cabinet or wall.
