Lisa BedoyaGENERAL SEQUENCE FOR ALL STRETCHES
- Inhale. Start in neutral position. Then, exhaling, perform the stretch as far as you can without assistance.
- When you can’t go any further, assist* for 2 seconds (keep breathing, resist holding breath.)
- Slowly release back to neutral position (inhaling.)
- Repeat 3-5 times.
- Repeat full sequence 1-3 times daily.
- To assist, use one of these methods:
- Use your hand or a strap to gently pull the joint into the stretch a little bit further.
- Contract the muscles on the opposite side of the joint you are stretching, again facilitating a little deeper stretch.
- Find a way to “lean into” the stretch passively, after you’ve gone as far as you can actively, e.g. leaning your weight forward as you place both hands on either side of a doorway to stretch pecs.
REMEMBER
1. Keep the body relaxed and the breath flowing smoothly at all times.
The point is for the body to learn to increase its range of motion without stress, which will cause it to contract instead of relaxing.
2. Three to five repetitions of each stretch are enough. Resist taxing the soft tissues.
It is more effective to keep it at 3-5 reps, but to practice several times during the day.
3. Do 1-3 practice sessions/day, depending on your schedule and the severity of your condition.
If time permits, do both sides and all stretches, even if one side feels more important than the other