Get Fit Quick Tip:

Ease muscle tension with this Back Stretch!

Leave muscle tension at the office with this total back stretch. Begin on your hands and knees on the floor. Inhale, tuck your chin into your chest and round your back. Exhale, lift your chin and arch your back. Repeat 3-5 times.

*Consult your physician before performing exercise. This stretch is for those without injury concerns.

Ease Tension with this Back Stretch

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Standing Hip Stretch

Do this post-run standing stretch to ease tired legs.

Stand on your right leg only. Cross your left ankle over your right knee, bend both hips and sit back into the stretch. Hold on for safety and balance. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, then release. Repeat crossing your right ankle over your left knee, bend both hips and sit back feeling a gentle stretch in your tights and hips.

*Consult your physician before performing exercise.

Standing Hip Stretch

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Stand and Stretch!

Don’t have time to sit or stretch on the floor? You don’t need too! Do this standing stretch to ease sore legs and back tension. Stand on your right leg only. Keeping your torso straight, lift your left leg up. Using one or both arms hug your knee in toward your chest. Hold for 10-30 seconds, then release. Repeat standing on your left leg only.

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

Stand and Stretch

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Corner Stretch!

Stand facing a corner. Step forward with one foot and place your forearms on the wall, with your elbows slightly lower than shoulder level. Gently lean forward, feeling a stretch across your chest and front shoulders. Hold for ten to thirty seconds.

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

Ease-Tension Stretch

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Post-Walking Stretch

After you’ve completed your walk or run, perform a Standing Lunge Stretch to maintain mobility of your ankle.

Stand facing a wall or post. Place both hands on the wall about chest-level. Step about 18 inches back with your right foot. Push your right heel down, and bend your left knee slightly feeling a stretch in your right calf muscle. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds. Release and return to your starting position. Repeat the stretch by stepping back with your left foot. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds, and release.

*Consult your physician before performing exercise.

Post-Walking Stretch

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Stretch during your day!

Decrease lower body tension and muscle aches that come with sitting in your office chair for hours on end. Here’s how:

Stand up behind your chair. Hold on to the chair for support with your left hand. Bend your right knee and hold your right ankle behind your body with your right hand. Keep your torso upright. Hold for 10-30 seconds, then slowly release. Repeat the same stretch, holding on to the chair with your right hand. Bend your left knee and hold your left ankle with your left hand. Stand up tall and breathe, hold for 10-30 seconds, slowly release.

*Always consult your physician before performing exercise.

How to Stretch During Your Day

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Take a Break!

Taking regular fitness breaks during your day is healthy for your body and your mind. Commit to a goal of getting up, stretching or walking every 2 hours.

Here’s how to hold yourself accountable to fitness break-time:

Set your phone alarm to signal every 2 hours.

Perform at-your-desk stretches. For example:

Seated Hamstring Stretch: Sit forward in your chair. Extend your right leg straight out in front of you with your heel on the ground. Sit up tall and hold for 10-30 seconds, then release. Repeat with your left leg straight out in front of you.

Reach up and Over Stretch: Reach both arms straight up overhead. Lean to your right, then your left.

Walk the hallway. Get up and walk around your office, the hallway or around the building for ten minutes to increase circulation and decrease muscle tension.

Stand up and breathe. Simply stand up to ease lower body tension, and perform 3-5 deep breaths.

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

Do you need a fitness break?

Standing Figure-4 stretch: Cross your left ankle over your right knee. Bend from your hips and sit back feeling a stretch in the left leg. Hold on to a stable object for balance. Release. Repeat the stretch crossing your right ankle over your left knee.

Standing Hand-to-Ankle stretch: Bend your right leg leg and hold your ankle behind your body feeling a stretch in the front of your thigh. Release and repeat bending your left knee and holding your left ankle.

Standing Lunge stretch. Step back with your right foot about three feet behind your left. Push your right heel down and bend your left knee until you feel a stretch in the calf of the back leg. Release and repeat stepping back with your left foot.

Standing Hamstring stretch. Place your right foot into an object about knee-height. Lift your chest and pull up your toes of your right leg until you feel a stretch in the back of the thigh. Release the stretch. Now place your left foot forward and up on an object about knee-height.
Stretching after your hike is a nice transition from exercise to rest. Hold each stretch for 10-30 seconds and never stretch into pain. Perform each stretch 1-3 times per leg. Add deep breathing into your stretching regime. Inhale deeply while moving into each stretch and exhale while relaxing further into the stretch.

On the Trail Stretching by Nicole Bryan