FLEXIBILITY

EXTENSION

Sit forward in a chair, push your feet into the floor, reach your arms overhead and lean back gently. Hold 10 seconds, straighten up, then lean again – a bit further, if possible. Hold 10 seconds. Lean back further and hold 10 seconds more. If your lower back hurts at any point, stop. The stretch should feel good, not painful. Lower your arms, then repeat the sequence once.

FORWARD FOLD

Sitting in a chair with your knees together and feet flat on the floor, inhale, then exhale and bend forward, rounding shoulders. Concentrate on curving your spine down, one vertebra at a time. Let your arms hang by your sides towards the floor. Hold for 30 seconds, allowing gravity to stretch your spine. Sit up, then repeat once.

SEATED FIGURE-FOUR STRETCH

Scoot your butt forward on the seat of the chair. Keeping a lengthened, straight spine, anchor your right foot on the floor and lift your left leg, placing your left ankle over the right knee. Hold. To increase stretch, gently push down on your left leg and hinge forward at the hips. Hold for 30 seconds before repeating with opposite leg.

NECK STRETCH

Sitting up straight in the chair, place your right hand on top of your head near the left ear and let the weight of your arm gently pull your head towards your right shoulder. (Don’t bring shoulder up to ear.) Relax, hold 30 seconds, and slowly return to starting position.

Switch hands and tilt your head towards the left shoulder. Hold for 30 seconds.

SEATED CHEST STRETCH

Sitting on edge of chair with knees together and feet flat on floor, rotate torso to right, extending right arm back over top of chair, thumb up.

Rest left hand on knee. Look back over right shoulder and hold 30 seconds, then slowly turn torso forward, bringing arm to front. Repeat on opposite side, extending left arm over chair. E