Whether it’s getting up to go to the bathroom or doing some serious exercise, you’re moving all day long. However, as we age, we are more likely to develop minor pains that interfere with our ability to move. That’s why it’s so important to keep your body as flexible as possible. Jenny McClendon, MS, PT, jenny fit start, told Yahoo Life.
“As you get older, the more active you are, the easier your daily activities will be,” she says. “Motion is our body’s lotion.” Sitting at a desk for long periods of time, watching TV for long periods of time, or even just lounging around will eventually reduce your flexibility and increase your risk of developing pain. Become.
McClendon has developed five moves you can do to keep your muscles flexible. “What I really love about these exercises is that they’re suitable for everyone, regardless of age, level, or size,” she says. , even if you’re fit, it’s beneficial because it keeps your muscles loose.”
Want to increase your flexibility, improve your posture, and improve your athleticism? Try these mobility-enhancing moves from McClendon.
shoulder roll and arm circle
Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides. Lift your shoulders and roll them back so that they appear to be making small circles behind you. Then lift your shoulders so that your elbows are back. “This really helps build flexibility in your chest muscles and strength in your back muscles,” says McLendon.
bend and reach
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and place one hand on your hip. Take your other arm and reach it as high and far as you can. As you stand up, extend your hands toward your toes as far as possible to increase your range of motion.
sit to stand
Sit in a chair with your knees bent at 90 degrees and your feet on the floor. Scoot your buttocks forward to the edge, tuck your feet down and tilt your nose so that it is above your toes. Stand up without pushing the chair with your hands. Then start lowering down. “This really helps tone your quadriceps and glutes, helps strengthen the muscles around your knees, and makes it easier to get in and out of your chair,” says McLendon.
seated rotary twist
Sit in a chair and scoot so your butt is on the edge. Lift one leg and cross it over the opposite leg. Then grab your knee with your other hand. Raise your other arm behind your back to give your back a slight twist. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds. “This is great for increasing the mobility of your joints so you can reach back, get out of bed easily, and lay down in a chair to do other activities,” he says. says McClendon.
hip circle
Stand next to the back of your chair and place your hands on the back of the chair for balance. Cross your outside leg in front of your body, rotate it outward, and lower it in a large hip circle. This is “very effective at opening up the hip joint and increasing mobility in the hip joint,” he says McClendon.
McClendon points out that these movements can be done anywhere, anytime, “in the comfort of your own home, with no equipment required, and in fact in less than 10 minutes.”
Each person is different, McLendon says, but “if you’re consistent, you can see and feel the difference in mobility, and it’s been as little as two to six weeks.”
