The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Stretching, Illustrated

This standing stretch is a great way to start your day. It opens your hip and stretches your elusive psoas muscle, which is chronically tight in most people. As an added benefit, it provides a nice stretch up your upper back and shoulder and strengthens your arms and legs.

1. Stand steadily on a firm surface, your feet even with your hips and your arms at your sides. Practice balance and coordination. Spreading your toes helps you establish a firm base of support. Gaze forward at one object to enhance your sense of balance.

2. As you inhale, step forward with your right foot, about the length of your leg. Keep your feet even with your hips, your legs straight with a slight bend in your knees, and your weight placed evenly from front leg to back. Your feet are flat on the floor, both hipbones facing forward. Rest your right hand lightly on your right thigh, while your left arm rests by your side.

Flex Alert!
Stand with both feet flat and firmly on the floor. You may swivel your left foot outward.

3. Lift your left arm up by your ear as you bend your right knee over your right ankle, leading with your chest, inhaling as you go. Pause here to s-t-r-e-t-c-h. Exhale, straighten your right leg, and move your arm down by your side to the starting position. Repeat this movement four times, remembering your Envelope Breathing. As you move, keep your upper body relaxed to prevent tension in your back, shoulders and neck.

4. Step your right foot back to the starting position, check your balance, then step your left foot forward as you inhale, your left hand on your left thigh, your right arm at your side. Repeat the movements four times on this side of your body. Return to the starting position to pause, check your balance and relax your breath.

Posted on May 9th, 2008 by Jamie
Filed under: Hip Openers | No Comments »

This is a great stretch if you want to release tension after a long day, suffer from a tight back, or have been advised by a physician to stay off your feet or take it easy. It strengthens your lower back, stretches your psoas muscles and improves leg and hip flexibility. Your digestive system is stimulated from the pressure exerted on your colon from your leg and thigh.

Your psoas muscles are located on each side of your back. Chronically tight in most people, they originate at the spine around the bottom of the rib cage and run down to the pelvis and thigh bone.

1. Lie on your back, legs in a straight line and feet together. Inhale deeply.

2. Bend your right knee and draw it to your chest. As you exhale, clasp your hands on your shin, below your knee. Draw your chin toward your chest to lengthen the back of your neck. You may stretch your left leg along the floor to intensify the stretch. Remain in this position for four breaths, allowing your body to s-t-r-e-t-c-h, without force, as you become aware of your right hip.

3. Slowly straighten your right leg and inhale as you move it back to the starting position. Then exhale as you bend your left knee toward your chest. Follow the instructions in step two as you hold the stretch on this side of your body. Observe any differences on this side.

Posted on May 9th, 2008 by Jamie
Filed under: Hip Openers | No Comments »

Lengthen your quadricep muscles, stretching your thighs, abdominal muscles, hips and chest with the Kneeling Quadricep Stretch. You’ll also hone your concentration skills and sense of balance.

1. Start on your hands and knees. Bring your right foot forward, placing your right knee over your right ankle. Move your left knee directly under your left hip, placing your left knee on a folded blanket to protect it. Check your balance, and then place your hands on top of your right knee. Avoid the tendency to lean on your bent knee; instead, lift your chest upward.

2. Lunge forward with your right knee as you inhale deeply. Firm legs and a fixed forward gaze help you remain balanced and stable.

3. Move back to the starting position as you exhale.

4. Glide back and forth three more times, inhaling as you move forward and exhaling as you move backward. Then hold the forward position for four breaths.

5. Practice the stretch on the other side of your body by placing your left foot forward and right leg back as in step one. Repeat steps two through four.

Posted on May 1st, 2008 by Jamie
Filed under: Hip Openers | No Comments »

If you suffer from chronic tension in your neck and shoulders or tightness or pain between your shoulder blades, you can find relief with the Kneeling Neck Stretch. You’ll strengthen and gently stretch your neck as you loosen tight hips and stretch your low back.

1. On a mat or blanket, sit on your heels, rest your hands on your thighs, and notice where you feel a stretch.

2. Fold your right arm behind your back, letting your left arm rest by your side. Gaze straight ahead. Inhale and sweep your left arm wide and up by your left ear, making a half circle, as you lift your hips up off your heels.

3. As you exhale, bend forward, sweeping your left arm behind your back, bringing the back of your left hand to your lower back to meet your right hand. Turn your head slowly to the right, resting the left side of your head on the floor.

4. Inhale, lift your hips up off your heels, sweeping your right arm wide and up by your right ear. Let the back of your left hand remain on your lower back.

5. As you exhale, bend forward, sweeping your right arm behind your back, bringing the back of your right hand to your lower back to meet your left hand. Turn your head slowly to the left, resting the right side of your head on the floor.

6. Repeat steps two through five, three more times, ending by sitting on your heels and resting with your hands on your thighs.

Posted on April 23rd, 2008 by Jamie
Filed under: Head and Neck | No Comments »

Excerpt from Errant Dreams Reviews.

Along with plenty of general information on why stretching practices are important to your health no matter how active or inactive you are, there’s a ton of very specific information to make the most of your own body’s issues. Do you know that you have problems with a particular part of your body? There’s a chapter that provides stretches body part by body part. Do you want whole-body stretches? There’s a chapter of those too, including both gentle and strong stretches for various levels of fitness.

Do you suffer from some sort of pain or discomfort? This is where Stretching Illustrated really comes in handy. There are stretches aimed at relieving head and neck discomfort, TMJ (jaw) pain, joint pain and stiffness, hip and knee pain, carpal tunnel, back soreness or pain, and sciatica.

Errant Dreams Reviews » Blog Archive » “Stretching Illustrated” (CIG) Templeton & Templeton

Posted on April 22nd, 2008 by Jamie
Filed under: Blog | No Comments »