Recovery Routine 1

Starting Position: Let’s start supine, or laying on your back face up, on a firm but padded surface, such as a carpeted floor or hard surface with a yoga mat. You can have your feet flat with your knees bent and pointed toward the ceiling, or you can put your legs straight out on the ground with your toes pointed up, whichever is more comfortable for you. 

Deep Breathing: Place one hand on your abdomen and the other hand on your chest. Start to breathe a little deeply but slowly. Try to feel where your breath is moving your body 

Rib breathing: Place both hands on the outer edge of your lower rib cage so your thumbs are wrapped towards your back and your elbows are resting on the ground pointed to the sides. Practice breathing into your hands. With your inhale you should feel your hands expand outwards. As you slowly exhale all of your air, you should feel your hands coming back towards each other 

Belly breathing: Place a hand on your belly. Practice inhaling to expand the belly a little and exhale, the belly should drop. Don’t over do this one as a really expanded belly is not what we are looking for. 

Quick Description: On your back, bring knees in towards your chest and hold them there with your hands. As you gently pull the knees in towards your chest, also reach your tailbone away from your head and tuck the chin slightly to lengthen the back of the neck. Hold and breathe as you lengthen your spine. Hold for 60 secs. Gently drop one knee down at a time to release 

Starting Position: Let’s start supine, or face up,  on the floor, on a firm but padded surface such as a carpet or hard flooring with a yoga mat.  Flex, or bend the knees, pointing your knees toward the ceiling and place your feet flat on the floor about 6 inches from your buttocks, maintaining about 6 inches between your feet and knees.  Rest your arms at your side to begin.  

To Perform the Exercise: Lift your feet off the floor as you draw your knees in toward your chest. Next, depending on your flexibility, you can either place your hands on your shins and gently pull your knees in closer, or you can actually wrap your arms around your legs, and use the weight of your arms to draw your legs in further. Once you have pulled your legs in, lengthen the back by pushing your chin down toward your chest, and try to turn your buttocks up as high as you can, effectively rounding out your spine. Your back will remain in contact with the floor the whole time. After 60 seconds, slowly release one leg at a time and return to the starting position. 

Muscles Targeted: Erector Spinae (the large long muscles on either side of your spine), Glute Complex (buttocks), and other small muscles in the back and neck. 

Common Mistakes: One common mistake with this and other stretches is rushing through the process. It can be uncomfortable, so the natural tendency will be to get it over as quickly as possible. However, if you take your time and go slowly, taking deep breaths, and connecting your mind to the muscles you are working open, you will find a much better return on your effort. 

Quick Description: Sitting cross-legged on the floor. Sit tall and place your hands in a prayer position in front of the chest. Lengthen the back of the neck by tucking the chin slightly and start to raise your arms up over head slowly, keeping the palms together. Keep checking in with a tall spine, and gently push your knees towards the ground as you reach up through the fingertips up towards the ceiling. Hold and breathe for about 30 seconds. Come out of the stretch slowly 

Starting Position: Start by sitting cross legged on the floor on a firm but padded surface, such as a carpeted floor or a hard surface with a yoga mat. You may need some extra padding for your ankles while seated cross legged. To get into this position, you can sit on the floor with your legs out straight in a wide V sit shape. Take one leg, bend your knee, and place the bottom of that foot on the inner thigh of the opposite leg. Now, take the leg that is still straight, bend your knee, and lay that shin over the first leg you moved, putting the bottom of your foot as close to the inner thigh as you can. This will make an X shape with your lower legs crossed in front of your pelvis. Your knees will be pointed toward the sides and likely slightly elevated. Sit up as tall as you can, pushing the crown of your head toward the ceiling and making sure you are not rounding out your lower back. If you find yourself rounding your lower back, you can try to push your belly button toward your ankles as you turn your hips forward. Now, put your hands together in front of your chest with your fingers pointed toward the ceiling, like in a prayer position. Finally, keeping your spine as straight as you can, drop your chin down toward your chest to open up your mid back. 

To Perform the Exercise: Keeping your spine super tall and your chin down, drop your knees toward the floor as far as you can and push your hands up toward the ceiling, keeping them pressed firmly together. As you reach up high, you should feel the muscles in your mid back stretching open. Take several deep breaths and hold this position for about 30 seconds, then release slowly back to the starting position. 

Muscles Targeted: Erector Spinae (the large muscles that run along your spine) and other muscles in the shoulders and mid back. 

Common Mistakes: One common mistake with this movement is not sitting up with an erect spine. Slouching or rounding out your back will diminish the stretch so be sure to sit up tall and elongate the spinal column as best you can. 

Quick Description: Sitting on the floor with legs out in front of you. Sit tall with your legs about hip width apart. Reach the crown of your head towards the ceiling and outstretch your arms in front of you, extend your wrists and keep the arms straight, raising them up overhead. The legs are straight and internally rotated towards each other. Reach out through your heels and the palms of your hands. Hold and breathe for 30 seconds. Come out of the stretch slowly 

Starting Position: Let’s start in a seated position with your legs straight out in front of you about hip width. Sit up as tall as you can, push the crown of your head toward the ceiling and keep your neck neutral by pointing your nose toward the room in front of you. Now, reach out in front of you with your arms, being careful to avoid leaning forward as you want to maintain a tall, neutral spine. Extend your wrists so that your fingers are pointed up and the palms of your hands are pointed toward the room in front of you. The bottoms of your feet, your chest and face should be pointed in that same direction. Finally, keep your heels about 6 inches apart, but internally rotate your legs by turning your toes in toward each other so that your big toes are either touching or close to touching. 

To Perform the Exercise: Maintain your body position as you swivel your arms to up over your head as high as you can reach. Imagine pushing the heels of your feet toward the room in front of you and pushing the heels of your hands up toward the ceiling. Take deep breaths as you hold the stretch for about 30 seconds, and then slowly release. 

Muscles Targeted: This stretch will elongate the majority of the muscles in the back and shoulders. 

Common Mistakes: One common mistake with this and other stretches is rushing through the process. It can be uncomfortable, so the natural tendency will be to get it over as quickly as possible. However, if you take your time and go slowly, taking deep breaths, and connecting your mind to the muscles you are working open, you will find a much better return on your effort. 

Quick Description: Laying on your back with both legs outstretched in front. Lift your left leg up towards your chest and grab your left knee and bring the left lower leg or ankle and knee towards your chest. You can also internally rotate the right leg and thigh inwards to feel more of a stretch in the left hip. Hold and breathe for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat 2 to 3 times each leg 

Starting Position: Laying supine (on your back face up) on a firm but padded surface, such as a carpeted floor or hard surface with a yoga mat. Place your legs straight out on the ground with your toes pointed up toward the ceiling. 

To Perform the Exercise: Lift one leg up, bend your knee, and draw it in toward your chest with your hands. As you bring your leg in close, externally rotate your leg by grabbing your foot or ankle and pulling the inside of your ankle toward the direction of your chin. This movement will cause you to slightly point your knee out toward the side, but focus on pulling both your knee and the inside of your ankle up toward your upper chest as far as needed to feel the stretch. Hold this position and take deep breaths for about 20 to 30 seconds, and repeat 2-3 times for each side. 

Muscles Targeted: Piriformis (a small flat muscle in your buttocks) 

Ways to Increase Intensity: If you are looking for a deeper stretch, you can internally rotate the leg you are not stretching. Take that leg that is still straight on the ground, bend the knee and place your foot flat on the floor. Now, let your leg drop inward toward the side of the leg you are stretching, this will shift your hip position and accentuate the stretch. 

Ways to Decrease Intensity: To decrease the intensity, limit the amount of external rotation as you pull your leg toward your chest. 

Common Mistakes: One common mistake with this and other stretches is rushing through the process. It can be uncomfortable, so the natural tendency will be to get it over as quickly as possible. However, if you take your time and go slowly, taking deep breaths, and connecting  your mind to the muscles you are working open, you will find a much better return on your effort. 

Starting Position: Let’s start supine, or laying on your back face up, on a firm but padded surface, such as a carpeted floor or hard surface with a yoga mat. You can have your feet flat with your knees bent and pointed toward the ceiling, or you can put your legs straight out on the ground with your toes pointed up, whichever is more comfortable for you. 

Deep Breathing: Place one hand on your abdomen and the other hand on your chest. Start to breathe a little deeply but slowly. Try to feel where your breath is moving your body 

Rib breathing: Place both hands on the outer edge of your lower rib cage so your thumbs are wrapped towards your back and your elbows are resting on the ground pointed to the sides. Practice breathing into your hands. With your inhale you should feel your hands expand outwards. As you slowly exhale all of your air, you should feel your hands coming back towards each other 

Belly breathing: Place a hand on your belly. Practice inhaling to expand the belly a little and exhale, the belly should drop. Don’t over do this one as a really expanded belly is not what we are looking for. 

Quick Description: On your back, bring knees in towards your chest and hold them there with your hands. As you gently pull the knees in towards your chest, also reach your tailbone away from your head and tuck the chin slightly to lengthen the back of the neck. Hold and breathe as you lengthen your spine. Hold for 60 secs. Gently drop one knee down at a time to release 

Starting Position: Let’s start supine, or face up,  on the floor, on a firm but padded surface such as a carpet or hard flooring with a yoga mat.  Flex, or bend the knees, pointing your knees toward the ceiling and place your feet flat on the floor about 6 inches from your buttocks, maintaining about 6 inches between your feet and knees.  Rest your arms at your side to begin.  

To Perform the Exercise: Lift your feet off the floor as you draw your knees in toward your chest. Next, depending on your flexibility, you can either place your hands on your shins and gently pull your knees in closer, or you can actually wrap your arms around your legs, and use the weight of your arms to draw your legs in further. Once you have pulled your legs in, lengthen the back by pushing your chin down toward your chest, and try to turn your buttocks up as high as you can, effectively rounding out your spine. Your back will remain in contact with the floor the whole time. After 60 seconds, slowly release one leg at a time and return to the starting position. 

Muscles Targeted: Erector Spinae (the large long muscles on either side of your spine), Glute Complex (buttocks), and other small muscles in the back and neck. 

Common Mistakes: One common mistake with this and other stretches is rushing through the process. It can be uncomfortable, so the natural tendency will be to get it over as quickly as possible. However, if you take your time and go slowly, taking deep breaths, and connecting your mind to the muscles you are working open, you will find a much better return on your effort. 

Quick Description: Sitting cross-legged on the floor. Sit tall and place your hands in a prayer position in front of the chest. Lengthen the back of the neck by tucking the chin slightly and start to raise your arms up over head slowly, keeping the palms together. Keep checking in with a tall spine, and gently push your knees towards the ground as you reach up through the fingertips up towards the ceiling. Hold and breathe for about 30 seconds. Come out of the stretch slowly 

Starting Position: Start by sitting cross legged on the floor on a firm but padded surface, such as a carpeted floor or a hard surface with a yoga mat. You may need some extra padding for your ankles while seated cross legged. To get into this position, you can sit on the floor with your legs out straight in a wide V sit shape. Take one leg, bend your knee, and place the bottom of that foot on the inner thigh of the opposite leg. Now, take the leg that is still straight, bend your knee, and lay that shin over the first leg you moved, putting the bottom of your foot as close to the inner thigh as you can. This will make an X shape with your lower legs crossed in front of your pelvis. Your knees will be pointed toward the sides and likely slightly elevated. Sit up as tall as you can, pushing the crown of your head toward the ceiling and making sure you are not rounding out your lower back. If you find yourself rounding your lower back, you can try to push your belly button toward your ankles as you turn your hips forward. Now, put your hands together in front of your chest with your fingers pointed toward the ceiling, like in a prayer position. Finally, keeping your spine as straight as you can, drop your chin down toward your chest to open up your mid back. 

To Perform the Exercise: Keeping your spine super tall and your chin down, drop your knees toward the floor as far as you can and push your hands up toward the ceiling, keeping them pressed firmly together. As you reach up high, you should feel the muscles in your mid back stretching open. Take several deep breaths and hold this position for about 30 seconds, then release slowly back to the starting position. 

Muscles Targeted: Erector Spinae (the large muscles that run along your spine) and other muscles in the shoulders and mid back. 

Common Mistakes: One common mistake with this movement is not sitting up with an erect spine. Slouching or rounding out your back will diminish the stretch so be sure to sit up tall and elongate the spinal column as best you can. 

Quick Description: Sitting on the floor with legs out in front of you. Sit tall with your legs about hip width apart. Reach the crown of your head towards the ceiling and outstretch your arms in front of you, extend your wrists and keep the arms straight, raising them up overhead. The legs are straight and internally rotated towards each other. Reach out through your heels and the palms of your hands. Hold and breathe for 30 seconds. Come out of the stretch slowly 

Starting Position: Let’s start in a seated position with your legs straight out in front of you about hip width. Sit up as tall as you can, push the crown of your head toward the ceiling and keep your neck neutral by pointing your nose toward the room in front of you. Now, reach out in front of you with your arms, being careful to avoid leaning forward as you want to maintain a tall, neutral spine. Extend your wrists so that your fingers are pointed up and the palms of your hands are pointed toward the room in front of you. The bottoms of your feet, your chest and face should be pointed in that same direction. Finally, keep your heels about 6 inches apart, but internally rotate your legs by turning your toes in toward each other so that your big toes are either touching or close to touching. 

To Perform the Exercise: Maintain your body position as you swivel your arms to up over your head as high as you can reach. Imagine pushing the heels of your feet toward the room in front of you and pushing the heels of your hands up toward the ceiling. Take deep breaths as you hold the stretch for about 30 seconds, and then slowly release. 

Muscles Targeted: This stretch will elongate the majority of the muscles in the back and shoulders. 

Common Mistakes: One common mistake with this and other stretches is rushing through the process. It can be uncomfortable, so the natural tendency will be to get it over as quickly as possible. However, if you take your time and go slowly, taking deep breaths, and connecting your mind to the muscles you are working open, you will find a much better return on your effort. 

Quick Description: Laying on your back with both legs outstretched in front. Lift your left leg up towards your chest and grab your left knee and bring the left lower leg or ankle and knee towards your chest. You can also internally rotate the right leg and thigh inwards to feel more of a stretch in the left hip. Hold and breathe for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat 2 to 3 times each leg 

Starting Position: Laying supine (on your back face up) on a firm but padded surface, such as a carpeted floor or hard surface with a yoga mat. Place your legs straight out on the ground with your toes pointed up toward the ceiling. 

To Perform the Exercise: Lift one leg up, bend your knee, and draw it in toward your chest with your hands. As you bring your leg in close, externally rotate your leg by grabbing your foot or ankle and pulling the inside of your ankle toward the direction of your chin. This movement will cause you to slightly point your knee out toward the side, but focus on pulling both your knee and the inside of your ankle up toward your upper chest as far as needed to feel the stretch. Hold this position and take deep breaths for about 20 to 30 seconds, and repeat 2-3 times for each side. 

Muscles Targeted: Piriformis (a small flat muscle in your buttocks) 

Ways to Increase Intensity: If you are looking for a deeper stretch, you can internally rotate the leg you are not stretching. Take that leg that is still straight on the ground, bend the knee and place your foot flat on the floor. Now, let your leg drop inward toward the side of the leg you are stretching, this will shift your hip position and accentuate the stretch. 

Ways to Decrease Intensity: To decrease the intensity, limit the amount of external rotation as you pull your leg toward your chest. 

Common Mistakes: One common mistake with this and other stretches is rushing through the process. It can be uncomfortable, so the natural tendency will be to get it over as quickly as possible. However, if you take your time and go slowly, taking deep breaths, and connecting  your mind to the muscles you are working open, you will find a much better return on your effort. 

Quick Description: Laying on your right side, bend your left knee up towards your chest and place it on the floor in front of you. Support your head with a pillow or your own arm. Bend your right knee and take your left hand and reach behind you to grab your right ankle. Once you have this position, exhale as you twist your left shoulder backwards towards the floor. Hold and breathe for 30 seconds. Release slowly and repeat on the other side. 

Starting Position: Let’s start lying on your side on a firm but padded surface, such as a carpeted floor or a hard surface with a yoga mat. You can support your head with your bottom arm, or another object like a pillow. Take your top leg, bend your knee to 90 degrees, and bring it up toward your chest as close as you can reach, resting your leg on the floor so that the inside of your knee, lower leg, and foot are touching the ground. Now take your bottom leg, and bend your knee, bringing your heel up toward your back/buttocks. The outside of your bottom leg is still resting on the ground. Finally, reach back with your top arm, and grab the ankle of your bottom leg that is back behind you. 

To Perform the Exercise: Take a deep breath, and exhale as you roll your shoulders back toward the ground, trying to point your chest toward the ceiling and keep your hips and legs in the same position. As your shoulders move toward the floor and your hips stay stationary, you will feel a large stretch through your hips, back and shoulders. Hold for about 30 seconds and then repeat on the opposite side. 

Muscles Targeted: This will stretch many of the rotational muscles in the core and hips such as the Internal and External Obliques (lateral belly area). 

Ways to Increase Intensity: For a bigger stretch, you can try to straighten your top leg, increasing the stretch in your hamstring as well as your hips, core, and back. 

Ways to Decrease Intensity: For a lighter stretch, you can bend your bottom knee, but limit how high you bring your heel, and avoid grabbing that ankle with your top hand. Then when you roll your shoulders back toward the ground, you will not have as much of a stretch. 

Common Mistakes: One common mistake with this and other stretches is rushing through the process. It can be uncomfortable, so the natural tendency will be to get it over as quickly as possible. However, if you take your time and go slowly, taking deep breaths, and connecting  your mind to the muscles you are working open, you will find a much better return on your effort.