Early Morning Stretch

There’s nothing like an early morning stretch to get your blood moving and awaken your bones! Here are three stretches you can do in your jammies:

1)  Side/Backside Stretch – Standing with feet hips width apart and parallel, lift both arms toward the ceiling, interlace the fingers and push your palms up.  Rooting down with your feet, press up tall with your hands and feel the stretch.  Then begin to round your back slightly to one side and push through the backside.  Lift back to straight and then round your back slightly to the other side, pushing through that backside as well.

2) Shoulder Stretch/Forward Bend – Standing with your feet greater than hips width apart, interlace your fingers behind your back. Roll the shoulders up and back and begin to take a forward bend while lifting the arms up and back behind you.  As you are in the forward bend, allow your torso to lift with an inhale and then on the exhale, squeeze the shoulder blades together and try to stretch your arms over head a little further.  Repeat that a couple of times and on your last inhale, press down through your feet and rise back up to standing.

3)  Forward Bend With Twist – Standing with feet hips width apart, bend forward and place your left hand on the floor directly under your nose.  Bend your left knee (keeping the right leg straight) and lift your right arm towards the sky.  Take a few breaths there and on your last exhale, lower the right arm back down.  Switch sides.

Compliments of Lisa Kneller, HealthwiseHolyYoga.