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Full-body Stretch
Body Part:
Full Body
Equipment:
None
Level:
Beginner
A 15-Minute Full-Body Stretch Routine That Leaves You Feeling Epic
Looking for a smart workout warm-up, an early morning energiser, or an effective way to avoid the afternoon slump? Try our 15-minute full-body stretch.
This dynamic stretching routine is the perfect warm-up before you play your favourite sport or power through your workout. Our 15-minute full-body stretch helps increase your flexibility, aids your joints in maintaining their range of motion, contributes to reducing the risk of injury to your muscles and joints, and keeps your muscles and fascia healthy. It can also increase your athletic performance.
But our full-body stretch isn’t just for the court and the gym. It’s an invigorating tonic for those of us who spend our days perched in front of a computer or sitting through meetings.
Leading a sedentary lifestyle can increase your risk of physical and mental health problems. Just 15 minutes of dynamic stretching each day can relax you physically and mentally, boost your energy, reduce stiffness and pain caused by sitting all day long, and improve your circulation. Our full-body stretch is a simple and effective routine that you can do anywhere, anytime, and you don’t need any equipment. Perfect for the home, office or out in the fresh air.
This dynamic stretching routine is a sequence of movements that you’ll perform non-stop. Although you’ll hold each position for a period of time, you’ll move through the routine as fluidly as possible so that you maintain momentum.
Check out our YouTube video below or scroll down to get step-by-step instructions on how to perform our full-body stretch.
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Full Body Stretch Exercises
Exercise 1: Front Fascia Stretch
- Get down on your hands and knees.
- Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and lock your elbows. Touch the tips of your toes to the floor.
- Alternate between pressing your right and left knees into the floor for about 5 seconds each.
- Repeat twice for each knee.
- Press your pelvis into the floor. Check to make sure that your arms are locked and hold this stretch for about 15 seconds.
- Intensify the stretch by placing your left foot against your right knee. Hold for about 15 seconds.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Slowly come back to the starting position and hold for 20 seconds.
- Sit back on your heels, fully extend your arms and bring your upper body to the floor. Hold for 10 seconds.
- Slowly sit up and finish.
Exercise 2: Hamstring Stretch
- Sit up straight and bring the soles of your feet together.
- Grab your feet with both hands. Keeping your back straight, pull yourself towards your feet.
- On each exhale, pull yourself closer to your feet. When you’ve reached between 8 and 9 on your personal pain scale, hold for about 1 minute.
- Increase the intensity of the stretch by walking your buttocks back slightly and bringing your upper body closer to the floor. Hold for about 1 minute.
- Sit up slowly and finish.
Exercise 3: Upper Body Curl
- Cross your legs tightly.
- Place your right hand on your left knee and twist your upper body to the left. Place your left hand on the floor behind you for support.
- On each exhale, intensify the stretch by twisting further to the left. When you reach between 8 and 9 on your personal pain scale, hold for about 1 minute.
- Create tension in your upper body by resisting turning to the right.
- Alternate between tensing and turning for about 20 seconds.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Slowly return to the starting position and finish.
Exercise 4: Side Stretch
- Lie on your left side with your left leg fully extended.
- Place your right foot in front of your left knee and prop yourself up with your left elbow.
- You should feel a stretch along your left side.
- Press your thigh into the floor and release. Continue pressing and releasing for about 15 seconds.
- Intensify the stretch by raising your hip off the floor slightly. Hold for about 15 seconds.
- On an exhale, raise your thigh off the floor.
- Tense your thigh for about 5 seconds, then release. Continue tensing and releasing for about 30 seconds.
- Bring your thigh to the floor and finish.
- Repeat on the other side.
Exercise 5: Head to Toe Flow Sequence
- Stand in a neutral position.
- Place your hands on your buttocks, lean your upper body backward until you are facing the ceiling.
- Push your pelvis forward and hold for 10 seconds.
- Hang forward and grab your toes. Bend your knees slightly if you need to.
- Bring your head as close to your legs as you can and hold for about 15 seconds.
- Come back to a standing position.
- Cross your right foot behind your left leg.
- Reach your right hand over your head and bend your upper body to the right. Pull your left arm toward the floor.
- You should feel a stretch along your right side. Hold for 20 seconds.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Return to a neutral position with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Raise both arms until they are horizontal with your palms facing up.
- Slowly twist your upper body to the left bringing your right hand in front of your chest. Hold for about 20 seconds
- Repeat on your right side and hold for 20 seconds.
- Repeat this exercise in half the time.
- Finish.
pick up the flex
Set yourself a goal of performing our full-body stretch 6 days a week for 3 weeks. You’ll see and feel the progress as you stretch further and bend deeper.
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