Many of us have poor posture and suffer from minor aches and pains just because we sit at a desk hunched over a computer for 9 hours a day.
That is why every single day we need to do the OPPOSITE and stretch out and open up our body after sitting in flexion all day.
However, most of us are also busy and the last thing on our mind is spending time stretching and opening up after sitting all day.
That is why the World’s Greatest Stretch is such a great exercise for us to do. With just 1 move and less than 5 minutes, we can open up all of the areas that become tight from sitting hunched over at our desks.
How To Do The World’s Greatest Stretch
1. Start in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and feet together. Your body should start in a nice straight line from your head to your heels. Do not let your hips sag or your butt go up in the air. Also make sure to engage your core with a slight pelvic tilt.
2. Step your right foot outside your right hand so that you are in a nice low runner’s lunge. Make sure your foot is flat on the ground. (If you are less flexible, your foot may not be right outside your hand or you may need to drop your back knee down to the ground. But do not let your front heel come up. You still want your foot to be flat on the ground.)
3. In the low runner’s lunge, drop your right elbow down to the ground near the instep of your right foot. Do not worry if you can’t touch the ground. Just drop your elbow down as low as you can. Feel a nice stretch in your hip and glute.
4. Then bring your elbow up off the ground and rotate your right arm up toward the ceiling, opening your chest up toward the ceiling to face your right leg. Stretch your right arm up toward the ceiling and rotate your chest open to feel a nice stretch in your hips, glute, back and chest.
5. Bring the right hand back down to the ground and then drop your back knee (left knee) down to the ground. Sit back on your left heel and let your right leg straighten out in front of you. Feel a stretch down your right hamstring. Lean forward over that front leg to increase the stretch. You may even feel this stretch your low back a bit.
6. Then shift back forward into the low runner’s lunge, bending your right leg and lifting your left knee up off the ground.
7. You can then repeat the stretch on the same side or step your right foot back into the plank position and step your left foot up outside your left hand to stretch the other side. Complete 5-10 reps per side. Take your time at each step to feel the stretch working. Spend a little more time on pieces of the stretch that you really feel hitting your tight spots!
Next time you feel stiff after sitting for awhile, get up and try this stretch. Even just a few reps on each side can help improve your posture and lessen your aches and pains!
Original article and pictures take redefiningstrength.com site
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