Do you feel stiff and lacking flexibility ? Would you like to gain fluidity and feel more comfortable in your body ? As a yoga teacher, I offer you 5 daily flexibility exercises to try right now!
How to gain flexibility? 5 practical daily exercises
I offer you 5 yoga and stretching exercises that target different parts of the body such as the shoulders, back, hips and legs . They help improve joint mobility, relieve muscle tension and prevent injuries.
Accessible to everyone, these exercises will help you start the day off on the right foot, while gaining flexibility effortlessly.
Why is maintaining flexibility important?
Working on your flexibility on a daily basis can bring many benefits to your health and well-being.
First of all, good flexibility will help you adopt a better posture and gain joint mobility . It is also what allows you to reduce the risk of injuries , especially when practicing a physical activity.
Indeed, flexible joints and relaxed muscles will protect you from shocks and trauma.
In addition, stretching promotes muscle relaxation and the release of accumulated tension . It is the perfect opportunity to feel more relaxed and relaxed, with a more flexible body , with which you feel more comfortable, with more amplitude available.
5 flexibility exercises to feel better
Preliminary advice: when you do the stretches , concentrate on your breathing.
Inhale slowly through your nose, hold for a few seconds (suspension of breath or Kumbhaka) , then exhale gently through your mouth (so-called liberating exhalation). This deep breathing technique promotes better muscle relaxation and helps you go further in your stretches, without forcing.
2 Upper Body Flexibility Exercises
Taking care of your upper body is essential to maintaining good mobility and balanced posture.
Start with some shoulder and back stretches to loosen up these areas, then move on to neck rotations (very gently) to release the tension built up in the trapezius area.
1 - Stretches for shoulders and back
Standing, cross your arms in front of you, grasping opposite shoulders, or place your arms in eagle pose (garudasana): Pass the left arm over the right and wrap the left arm around the right so that the two palms come together, pressing against each other.
You can hook your two thumbs together and try to press the inside of your left hand against the inside of your right hand. Gently pull your shoulders back while keeping your torso straight. Hold the position for 30 seconds, breathe deeply. Then change sides.
Repeat 3 times to effectively stretch the shoulders and upper back.
2 - Neck rotations
Sit in easy seated posture (sukhasana) or stand in mountain pose (tadasana) with your back straight. Begin by slowly tilting your head to the right, then to the left in large circles.
Repeat 10 times in each direction to promote mobility and relaxation of the neck. Pause when you feel an area of tension.
3 Lower Body Flexibility Exercises
Now let's focus on flexibility exercises that target the lower body. This is how you will gain flexibility in your legs, hips and core.
3 - Quadriceps stretches
Start by stretching your quadriceps , the muscles located at the front of your thighs. Stand with one hand on a wall or chair to steady yourself.
Bend one leg, grab your ankle with your opposite hand, and gently pull your foot toward your buttocks. Arch your lower back. You should feel the stretch intensifying in the front of your thigh and psoas area. Repeat on the other side to balance the flexibility in your legs.
4 - Front and rear slits
Continue with lunges (kapiasana/anjaneyasana), an excellent exercise to mobilize your hips and pelvis!
From your downward dog, or without transition, stand at the front of your mat, legs hip-width apart.
Step back and extend your right leg backwards without placing your right heel on the ground, then bend your left leg to form a 90° angle to align your knee above your ankle. Align your hips with each other.
These postures can be performed with one knee on the ground or not, and in an active or passive manner.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Perform lunges by stepping one leg forward , keeping your torso straight and your hips in the “same line,” parallel.
5 - Lateral flexions of the torso
Finish with side bends of the torso, which target lengthening, the search for space. Standing, feet slightly apart, raise one arm above the head and gently tilt the torso towards the opposite side.
You should feel a nice stretch along your side . Repeat on the other side to balance both sides of the body.
This exercise can also be done lying down or sitting.
How to incorporate flexibility into your routine?
Cultivating your flexibility on a regular and sustainable basis may seem difficult to integrate into an already busy daily life. But, with a few simple tips, you can easily include these movements to improve your flexibility and posture in your daily life... Whatever your age or initial condition, these are movements accessible to most people 🙏
And who knows… Maybe these flexibility exercises will make you want to try yoga? It’s an incredible practice that has personally allowed me to feel much more centered, calm, and channeled.
This is why I became a yoga teacher, and why I created Alma Lua. To offer you collections of poetic, beautiful, joyful yoga and homewear clothing ... To make you feel good during your practices!
Download your Alma Lua flexibility exercise summary video
Do you feel ready to improve your flexibility right now? Do you really want to integrate it into your daily routine?
Perfect, I suggest you click here and access the video of the exercises proposed in this article (filming in progress / soon online)!
Do you like my positive and gentle approach to body mobility and flexibility? Do you want to discover the Alma Lua collections? Then click here and discover the latest collection “More amore por favor”.
With these few simple tips, you will be able to integrate flexibility sessions into your daily routine, for the greater well-being of your body and mind.
Sarah - Alma Lua