When you get home tonight, before you do anything else, put on some comfortable clothing and take off your shoes. Find a quiet, carpeted space on the floor, and lie down on your back. Relax your head, neck, shoulders, hips, legs, and feet. Feel your body sink into the ground. Close your eyes and take five slow, deep breaths.

Extend your arms above your head so that the backs of your hands are on the floor. Now inhale and reach with your hands and your feet as far as you can possibly can. Then exhale, relax, and repeat two more times.

Still lying down, slowly raise your right leg and use your arms to gently pull your right knee in toward your chest. When you have brought your knee in as far as you comfortably can, hold it firmly but gently, and take three slow, deep breaths. With each exhalation, allow your knee to come a little closer to your chest. Slowly lower your right leg, and repeat the movement on the left.

Now slowly sit up, remaining comfortably on the floor with your legs bent and crossed in front of you. Place both hands flat on the floor in front of you, and “walk” your hands as far away from your body as they will go. Release the tension in your neck and shoulders, and allow your head to hang. With each exhale, feel your forehead sink closer to the floor. After five deep breaths, slowly walk your hands back toward your body, sit up straight, and open your eyes. When you’re ready, carefully stand up.

Feel better? That’s the point. There’s nothing magic about these basic stretches. You may come up with something even better. Each person has unique areas of tightness and tension, depending on his or her physiology, activities, stress level, and numerous other factors. Whatever stretching exercises are right for you, the important thing is that you do them.

Whether you’re a daily exerciser, weekend warrior, or self-described couch potato, at least ten minutes of stretching should be a part of your daily routine. Why? The numerous reasons include the following:

• Flexibility can decrease the risk of injury. For example, if you stumble off a curb and land on the side of your foot, the flexibility of the tissues around your ankle may make the difference between a minor twist and a major sprain. Flexibility also helps the body respond effectively to the sudden or awkward movements that we make every day (such as reaching to grab a heavy door that’s about to close, bending down to pick up something that dropped on the floor, or twisting around in the seat of a car to reach for something in the back).
• As we age, our muscles and connective tissues generally become less flexible, so we must work to maintain the flexibility we have today.
• Stretching can help reduce stress, by emphasizing breathing and relaxation.
• Stretching can improve circulation and help correct postural imbalances. For example, sedentary activities such as driving and sitting in front of a computer often cause tightness in the neck and shoulders (due to upper body tension) and hips (due to lack of movement). Failure to counteract this tension with stretching can lead to slouched posture and/or uncomfortable muscle spasms.
• Stretching can help prevent or alleviate chronic physical problems, such as low back pain. So, now that you’ve made a commitment to stretch for at least ten minutes a day, how can you make the most of it?
• Relax before you stretch. If you’re a morning runner who’s pressed for time, do not try to crank out a few quick post-run stretches while standing in your air-conditioned kitchen with one eye on the clock and the other eye on the coffee pot. Instead, shorten your run so that you have ample time to stretch in a warm and relaxed environment.
• Breathe. Your breath is your best friend while you’re stretching. With every exhalation, you should feel your body relaxing into the stretch, and the stretch should deepen and feel more natural.
• Take advantage of gravity. Your head is heavy. Use it. For example, when performing a standing stretch and reaching your arms toward the floor, release the tension in your neck and drop your head. The extra weight, combined with relaxation and breathing, will enable you to move deeper into your stretch.
• Never bounce or force a stretch. You should not feel pain during or after a stretch. If the body part you’re stretching begins to tremble, or if you feel a numb or tingling sensation, you are over-stretching!
• Maintain proper body alignment. Before sinking into your stretch, position your body correctly.

People often ask whether they should stretch before or after a workout. Generally, a warm-up before exercise involves doing a scaled-down version of your intended activity. For example, a swimmer might do some arm-circling motions on dry land, followed by a few slow laps in the pool. The warm-up can also include some light stretching, but save the deeper stretching for when your muscles are warm — ideally, after the main portion of your workout. However, if you suffer from persistent tightness in certain areas, and if the tightness affects your workout, you might need to do a longer warm-up (including deeper stretches of the trouble spots) before you take off.

Flexibility is an essential component of fitness. Stretch now, and reap the benefits for years to come!!

Published in November 2003 Arizona Women Lawyers Association, Perspectives.