What 10 minutes can do . . .

For the past 12 weeks, I have been setting aside 10 minutes out of my day to stretch. At first I moaned and groaned while grabbing my timer and felt overwhelmed by 'the 10 minutes I was taking out of my day' to do this.

Let's go back in time . . .

About 2 years ago, I encountered a pretty bad compression injury to my back and left hip during a kayak race in Mexico. I landed a 12-foot vertical drop directly onto a rock. I went through the necessary x-rays for compression fracture in the spine, but found nothing. My hip continued to ache day in and day out, sometimes making kayaking unbearable and definitely not fun.

Let's fast forward now . . .

12 weeks ago, I commited to stretching 10 mintues a day. I was "ho hum" about it at first, but as the days went on, my mind and body actually craved the 10 minutes of release. I made it my ritual to either stretch directly after a workout or in the evening while watching TV. I would grab my phone, to time my session, and do the same series of stretches.

This regular stretching routine has done wonders to my body. This continues to be a part of my daily ritual and will from now on. This is my favorite stretching routine. It emphasizes shoulder/chest opening and hip opening. Check it out and commit to a period of time yourself. I promise you will feel the difference.

Chest Opener on Foam Roller (2 minutes)

​Lat Opener on Foam Roller (1 minute)

Leg crossover stretch (1 minute each leg) - You should feel this open the hip

Pigeon Stretch (1 minute each leg) - Glute/Hip Stretch

Hip Lunge (30 seconds each leg) - Opens up the Hip Flexor

Posterior capsule stretch for shoulder (1 minute each side)

Seated forward back bend (1 minute)

Take time out of your day to improve your health and mobility. The better we move the better we feel. You are important enough to give yourself those 10 minutes :-)

Your coach, Heather