| All muscles tend to tighten up when idle, particularly the | | | | elbows out and your fists together in front of you |
| long muscles in your legs, back, and the sides of your | | | | about neck high. Your forearms should be parallel to |
| body between your hips and your armpits. Sitting for a | | | | the floor. Slowly pull your fists apart, and bring your |
| long time in the same position at a desk or bench will | | | | elbows back as far as they will go. Do several smooth |
| often stiffen neck or shoulder muscles. Such stiffness | | | | repetitions. Raising or lowering the level of your arms |
| creates tension in the body and can even influence | | | | will spread the stretch up and down your shoulders. |
| your state of mind. But the most common danger of | | | | Some other good stretchers include the bend, the groin |
| stiff muscles is that sudden movement that may | | | | stretch, the propeller, and the cobra. |
| cause damage. The following are some popular | | | | Bend |
| stretchers: | | | | Begin with your feet together and knees straight but |
| Bend and Sway | | | | relaxed. Bend slowly form the waist with your fingers |
| With your feet apart and your hands on your hips, | | | | pointing to your toes and your head bowed. When you |
| bend the upper body to the left; then bend back as far | | | | have reached the farthest you can hold for 10 |
| as you can go, then to the right, and then forward. | | | | seconds. Then rise very slowly to a straight-up position. |
| bend to the left again and repeat. After several bends, | | | | Repeat. |
| reverse direction and do several more. You should feel | | | | If the muscles along the back of your legs are very |
| the muscles stretching on both sides of your body. | | | | tight, do not expect to touch your toes right away. Just |
| Clasping your hands behind your neck or above your | | | | make sure that those leg muscles get a good stretch, |
| head will increase the stretching benefit. | | | | and you will enjoy daily improvements. |
| From the same starting position as above, sway, do | | | | Variation 1: Bend slowly forward and clasp your hand |
| not rotate, from one side to the other. Extending the | | | | hands behind your legs. Pull your body down slowly by |
| arms high above the head will give you maximum | | | | bending your elbows out. |
| benefit. | | | | Variation 2: Clasp your hands behind your legs even |
| Wing Flaps | | | | lower than in variation 1. Pull your body down slowly. |
| To loosen the shoulder muscles, stand with your | | | | For both variations, hold for 10 seconds. |