Stretch yourself

One of the most important aspects of health and fitness is flexibility.  It is important to keep flexibility in the muscles and tendons so that pliability is there when we need it.  This could be in a fall, aging, job specific, or to advance in a particular exercise.

Evaluate your day.  If you sit at a desk for a good part of your workday then chances are that you will have tight hip flexors and tight hamstrings based on the seated position.  How do you prevent these muscles from getting too tight?  Make an honest effort to get up once every hour and reach for your toes, feel the stretch in the hamstrings and how good it feels on your back.  Pull a foot up behind you and hold it there while keeping your knees tight together, feel your thigh stretch, but more importantly, your hip flexor.

Do you stand all day?  Then make an effort to focus on stretching your back.  Get down on your knees, sit your butt back on your heels, then reach your arms out in front of you and lower your entire upper body towards the ground.  Feel the stretch in your entire back and hold.

A good rule of thumb for a flexibility routine during your workday is to do 5 minutes of stretching per hour.  It really is simple, and the benefits are exponential.

Don't see anything in your workday that poses issues?  Look harder, look at yourself in the mirror, note your posture, look at what arm and leg are more dominant, stretch them!