10 Stretches

To stay loose at the end of the day

Trudi's TEN for Older Adults
When you get home from a busy day, try these stretches below to loosen off those tired muscles. Make sure you are on a surface that doesn't slip, and that you are nice and warm before you start stretching. Try and hold each stretch for at least 20 seconds before moving to the next. Keep taking nice deep breaths in through the nose, and out through the mouth, as you hold the stretch.

Stretch #1: Hip flexors
1. Take one leg back in a big step. Keep both toes pointing forward, with the front knee bent, and the back leg straight.
2. Pull shoulders back and lift body up tall.
3. Gently press forward on the bent knee to feel a stretch up into the hip at the top of your back leg.
4. Swap legs.

Stretch #2: Hamstrings
1. Place foot up on a table, chair, bench or armrest.
2. Make sure both legs are straight, and the supporting foot is underneath your hips, not behind the body. Keep the foot on the floor pointing straight forward.
3. Keep shoulders back, and back straight, and gently lean forward toward raised foot.
4. Swap legs.

Stretch #3: Alternating side lean
1. Reach one arm up to the roof and the other down to the floor.
2. Bend to the side to to reach arm towards floor. Turn head to look up towards other hand.
3. Keep hips centred, and don’t push hip out to the side when you lean over.
4. Swap sides.

Stretch #4: Open chest
1. Clasp hands together behind back. Stand up tall with shoulders down.
2. Gently lift hands up away from the body and hold; do not lean forward.

Stretch #5: Hanging shoulders
1. With feet apart, lean forward with a straight back and a slight bend in your knees.
2. Let relaxed arms hang straight down. Gently circle both arms in towards each other.
3. Reverse directions.
4. Option: Circle only one arm at a time.
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Exercise & stretches handouts
Stretch #6: Torso rotation
1. Sit squarely on a chair or seat with feet shoulder width apart and flat on the floor.
2. Turn shoulders around to the side, and take both arms over to hold either the back of the chair or touch the top of the couch.
3. Keep back up tall, shoulders back, and chin tucked in.
4. Turn and repeat on the other side.

Stretch #7: Forward reach
1. Sit squarely on a chair or seat with feet shoulder width apart and flat on the floor.
2. Interlock fingers and turn them over so that palms face forward. Stretch both arms straight forward.
3. Tuck chin down and reach forward a little further.

Stretch #8: Elbow cross
1. Sit squarely on a chair or seat with feet shoulder width apart and flat on the floor.
2. Bend elbows and bring up in front. Tuck one elbow on top of the other and clasp hands together.
3. Gently lift elbows and hands.
4. Swap hands.

Stretch #9: Overhead reach
1. Sit squarely on a chair or seat with feet shoulder width apart and flat on the floor.
2. Interlock fingers and turn them over so that palms face upward. Stretch both arms overhead.
3. Keep shoulders down, and gently pull arms back behind head, without arching the back.

Stretch #10: Knee hug
1. Sit squarely on a chair or seat with feet shoulder width apart and flat on the floor.
2. Bend forward and wrap arms under legs. Tuck chin under and arch back.
3. Optional: With arms tight, pull back up away from arms to increase the stretch.