Start Your Day Off Right With This Morning Stretch Routine

During the hours of sleep, your muscles can become stiff and immobile. A wake-up stretch routine will wake up your muscles, allowing them to feel more supple as the blood flow increases.

Here’s a 10-minute full-body stretch routine that will help you to start your day the right way. 

The World’s Greatest Stretch

This move stretches almost every major muscle group in some way. It has been modified over the years and you can find numerous variations online. Here is a relatively easy version to follow:

1. Standing hip-width apart, lunge forward with your right leg and put your left hand on the ground opposite the right leg. You will now be in a balanced half kneeling or exaggerated sprint position. Your front (right) knee should be directly above your ankle and back (left) ankle behind your toe. 

2. Keeping your left leg as straight as you can, lower your right forearm to the ground and hold for 10 seconds. 

3. Keeping your hips still and inline with your back (left) leg, extend your right arm up to 90 degrees towards the ceiling, rotating your torso. Look up and hold for 10 seconds. Try to keep your back foot still as you rotate.

4. Bring your right arm down and rotate underneath your torso to the left. Hold for 10 seconds. 

Upper Back Stretch

1. Place both hands face down on a fence, ledge or mantel. 

2. Bending at the waist, let your body drop down while keeping your knees slightly bent and arms straight out in front of you. 

3. Hold this gentle stretch for 60 seconds.

Arms, Shoulders & Chest Stretch

1. Grab a towel at both ends while keeping your arms straight. 

2. Without bending your arms, raise the towel over your head and behind your back. 

3. Hold the towel behind your back for 60 seconds.

Pectoral Stretch

1. Standing - place your right hand on the wall in front of you in a ‘stop’ position (your upper arm should be at shoulder height with your elbow bent at 90 degrees). 

2. Rotate your torso away from the wall. As you stretch, make sure to keep your shoulder back on the side closest to the wall (the side you are stretching). 

3. Hold for 30 seconds on each side.

Hip Flexor Stretch

1. Start by kneeling on a mat, then place your right foot forward so that you have a 90-degree angle at the hip and knee. The left knee should remain on the floor, aligned underneath the left hip. 

2. Place your hands on the right knee for support (if needed). Keeping the torso upright, slightly tuck your pelvis under. 

3. Slowly lean forward until you feel a comfortable stretch in front of your left hip. 

4. Hold for 60 seconds.

Quad Stretch

1. Standing - Hold your foot at the lace part of your shoe (not your ankle), bring it behind your body, and tuck your pelvis under so your tailbone is pointing at the wall in front of you (a posterior tilt). 

2. Try and get your heel to touch your bum without letting your knee swing out to the side.

3. Hold for 60 seconds.

Hamstring Stretch

1. Standing - With your feet hip-width apart, place your right leg forward so your right heel is just in front of your left toe. 

2. Keeping your right leg straight, bend your left knee. 

3. With a straight back, gently lean forward resting your weight on your bent leg. 

4. Hold for 60 seconds.

Glute Stretch

1. Sit on a chair and cross your right ankle just above your left knee. 

2. Place your hands on the inner side of your right knee, lean forward slightly and apply gentle pressure. 

3. Hold for 60 seconds.

Wrap Up

Run through this eight-move stretch routine when you roll out of bed and you’ll walk out of your bedroom with muscles that are ache free and ready to take on the world. That's a pretty good 10-minute investment of your time!