10 Morning Stretches for Better Flexibility

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Do you feel stiff and lethargic in the morning, even after a good night's sleep? You're not alone. "Whenever you’re inactive for long periods of time — sitting at a desk, stuck in traffic, binging your favorite show, asleep in bed — your muscles and connective tissues can become tight and your joints can become lubricated less effectively," says Autumn Calabrese, Beachbody Super Trainer and best-selling author. She says that you can experience stiffness when waking up after several hours of lying in the same position but states that the real culprit is likely lack of movement throughout the day. Her advice: Incorporate some morning stretches to kick-start your day.

Stretching — whether first thing in the morning, post-workout or any other time — can increase circulation, help make your muscles more supple and trigger a feedback loop between your muscles and nervous system that signals your muscles to relax, says Calabrese. "The result is less stiffness and greater ease of movement," she says.

Fitness experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Wellness Lab teamed up with Calabrese to share the best morning stretches to start your day. They don't require any special equipment, making them perfect for beginners. These static stretches involve stretching and holding a position for a certain amount of time, about 15 to 30 seconds at least to help trigger a relaxation response in your muscles. Here are the best morning stretches for beginners:

Upper Back Stretch

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.

2. Interlace your fingers and then extend your arms straight out in front of you with your palms facing forward, lowering your head and rounding your shoulders until you feel a deep stretch in your upper back.

3. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, and then release.

Side Stretch

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your hands by your sides.

2. Keeping your core engaged, reach your right hand overhead as you bend sideways to your left, allowing your left hand to slide down your leg until you feel a deep stretch in the right side of your torso.

3. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, and then repeat with your other arm.

Standing Chest Stretch

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, shoulders relaxed, and fingers interlaced behind you.

2. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull your hands back and down.

3. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, and then release.

Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.

2. Raise your right arm across your body at chest level and hook your left arm around it above your right elbow.

3. Use your left arm to draw your right arm toward your chest (you should feel a deep stretch in your right shoulder).

4. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, and then switch arms and repeat.

Overhead Triceps Stretch

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.

2. Extend your right arm overhead, and then bend your elbow, bringing your right palm between your shoulder blades.

3. Grab your right elbow with your left hand and gently pull it to the left until you feel a stretch.

4. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, and then switch arms and repeat.

Seated Forward Fold

1. Sit on the ground with both legs extended in front of you and withfeet flexed.

2. Keeping your back flat, core engaged and legs straight, hinge forward at your hips and reach for your toes until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings (if you can’t grab your toes, hold onto your ankles or shins).

3. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, and then release.

Standing Quad Stretch

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your hands by your sides.

2. Bend your right knee and lift your right foot behind you, grabbing the top of your foot with your right hand. (If necessary, you can raise your left arm out to your side or use a chair or wall for balance.)

3. Keeping your core engaged, pelvis tucked and right knee pointed toward the floor, pull your foot toward your butt until you feel a deep stretch in your quad.

4. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, and then repeat with your other leg.

Runner’s Lunge

1. Start in a push-up position with your legs together, arms straight, hands below your shoulders and body straight from head to heels.

2. Keeping your core engaged and back flat, step your right foot to a point just outside of your right hand.

3. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, and then repeat with your other leg.

Figure Four Stretch

1. Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor.

2. Keeping your right foot flexed, cross your right ankle over your left thigh just below the knee.

3. Interlace your fingers behind your left thigh and gently pull your left knee toward your chest until you feel a deep stretch in your glute.

4. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, and then repeat with your other leg.

Seated Spinal Twist

1. Sit on the ground with both legs extended in front of you.

2. Keeping your core engaged, back flat and left leg extended, bend your right knee and cross your right foot over your left thigh, placing it on the floor.

3. Hug your right knee to your chest with your left arm as you rotate your torso to your right and place your right hand on the floor behind you. (For a deeper stretch, bend your left elbow and position it outside of your right knee with your fingers pointed toward the ceiling as you rotate to your right.)

4. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, switch sides and repeat.

The Takeaway

While any amount of stretching is good, Calabrese says you’ll experience the greatest benefits if you stretch for at least 5 to 10 minutes daily. Calabrese recommends performing at least two sets of as many stretches as possible in the time you have available. For stretches that focus on one limb at a time, Calabrese says that one set equals stretching each limb once.

"It doesn’t take much, but the payoffs — less tension and stiffness, greater mobility and flexibility, more efficient movement — are huge," she says. Committing to even two or three days of morning stretches can help you start feeling more energized, refreshed and limber.

Why Trust Us?

Stefani Sassos has been working in the fitness industry for the past 10 years, specializing in indoor cycling and strength training. As a NASM-Certified Personal Trainer, she uses her expertise and exercise science knowledge to create informed fitness content for the Good Housekeeping Institute. From vigorously testing exercise equipment to curating workout plans for GH readers, Stefani is passionate about leading an active lifestyle and inspiring others to do the same.

Beachbody Super Trainer and nutrition expert Autumn Calabrese is the creator of the popular fitness programs 9 Week Control Freak, 21 Day Fix, 80 Day Obsession, and others, and the portion-control weight-loss system Portion Fix, which has helped millions of people gain control of their meals. She’s also the author of three bestselling books: Fixate, Fixate 2 and Lose Weight Like Crazy, Even If You Have a Crazy Life. She’s the host of the Fixate healthy cooking show with her brother, Bobby Calabrese, on Beachbody On Demand. Autumn is a certified holistic health coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition.

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