Flexibility excersises that you can do at home

Maintaining and improving your flexibility helps you feel better and can reduce your muscle aches and pains. Routines that improve your flexibility can also make engaging in other exercises and activities easier and more enjoyable. Stretching increases your range of motion, improves posture, relieves arthritis, back pain and joint aches and pains.

It’s recommended that you perform stretches and flexibility exercises at least 2-3 times per week. However, if you’re experiencing soreness after an injury or surgery, then you may want to stretch up to three times a day. (Just be sure to check with your doctor first).

When you begin a stretching routine, warm up slowly. Start with gentle stretches first to help prevent pulling muscles.

Try to stretch all of your muscle groups from head to toe. As you do your stretches, make sure that you’re not bouncing, holding your breath, or locking your joints. And if a stretch or flexibility exercise is ever painful, then you may be stretching too hard or far. In that case, ease off a little until the pain goes away.

If you’re ready to start some flexibility training, then check out the following stretches: 1. Shoulder and upper back stretch

• Get into a seated position on a chair. Ensure that both feet are planted firmly on the floor.

• Bring the palms of your hands together in front of your chest— as if you’re praying—and take in a deep breath through your nose at the same time.

• Drawyourbreathinalltheway down to your abdomen.

• As you slowly exhale, bring your arms out to your sides— with your palms facing out— and then raise your arms over your head.

• Begin to inhale as you bring your arms back down and go back into your original position with your palms together in front of your chest again.

Repeat the stretch at least 10 times.

Over time, you can increase the intensity of the stretch by putting on light wrist weights.

2. Back stretch

• Sit on a sturdy chair with armrests.

• Position yourself toward the front of the chair and make sure that your feet are flat on the floor about shoulder width apart.

• Keep your spine and neck as straight as possible.

• Place your left hand on the left arm of the chair.

• Place your right hand on the top of your right thigh.

• Keepingyourhipsfirmlyplanted on the chair, slowly start to twist to the left from your waist and turn your head to the left.

• Twistasfarasyoucomfortably can without lifting your hips. Hold that position for 10 to 30 seconds.

• Slowly return to a forwardfacing position and repeat the above steps on the right side.

Repeat the entire stretch routine three to five times.

3. Back of thigh stretch

• Lie flat on your back on the floor.

• Bendyourleftkneesothatyour left foot is flat on the floor.

• Raise your right leg into the air while keeping your knees slightly bent and your head and shoulders flat on the floor.

• Hold on to your right leg with both of your hands. You can hold your leg behind your thigh, knee, or calf depending on which position is the most comfortable for you.

• Slowly pull your right leg toward your body until you feel a stretch in the back of your leg. If it hurts, then ease off a little.

• Hold that position for 10 to 30 seconds and then lower your right leg back to the floor.

Repeat at least three to five times and then do the same steps and repetitions with your left leg. - From greatseniorliving.com