Stretch!

Stretching may be one of the most underestimated parts of any workout. In fact, even without working out, stretching may just be one of the fundamental types of movement that allows our body to regenerate and feel alive by stimulating our blood flow and engaging our body of muscles in seemingly tiny, micro, steps but with maximum macro effects.

Start by making it a habit to stretch as often as you remember.

- Stretch your arms upward, sideward, and downward.

- Stretch your chest by flinging your arms to the sides and back, and breathe in as you do it.

- Go into a box split position and go as low as you can to stretch the inner thighs.

- Tiptoe from time to time and feel the muscles along the top of your foot stretch. It will also increase the power of your calves and increase your sense of balance.

- Stretch all the muscles around your shoulders by moving them in a circular motion: to the front, up, back, and down. Do it again the other way around!

- Alleviate back pain by stretching your side abs.

- Alleviate back pain by bending forward and down; feeling the lower back muscles being pulled both right and left as you bend left and right.

- Do a lunge with both feet flat on the ground; front leg bent 90 degrees and back leg straightened out – this is also known as the gōng bù.

- Stretch the muscles in your hands by spreading out all 10 fingers as much as you can.

- Stretch your wrists by pulling your hand both up, and down.

I challenge you to do these stretches – anyone of them – as often as you think of them; you will feel revitalized, fuelled with energy, with a more positive outlook on your next task – most importantly, you will want to move – more and more.