Full Body Stretch Exercise

Objective: This full body stretch is meant to center yourself and assure safety in any strenuous exercises you may do next. Stretching not only calms the nerves, but activates the mind, making you aware of your body. This full body stretch is meant to leave you feeling relaxed, accomplished, and energized for the day.

Duration: 30 minutes

Materials Needed:

• Floor space

• Speaker

• Yoga mat (optional)

• Journal (optional)

Exercise Outline:

Warm up (5 Minutes)

• 5 minute quick warmup: Jumping jacks, high knees, burpees, mountain climbers, plank (30 seconds each), rest break for desired time, and repeat.

Full Body Stretch (20 Minutes)

1. Begin with neck rolls to relieve tension and relax your muscles before stretches

2. Slow roll down to touch your toes

   1. Move feet into second position and reach for right and left feet until you feel a stretch

3. Hamstring stretch

   1. In seated position with legs stretched forwards, reach for your toes to feel a deep stretch

   2. Feel free to stretch as much as necessary, modify, etc.

4. Lunge on right side

   1. After you feel stretched bend your front leg for calf stretch

   2. Next, hold your back leg for quad stretch

5. Jazz splits and pigeon stretch

   1. Extend your front leg and bend your back leg, put your nose to your knee until you feel a stretch

   2. Move into pigeon pose with your front leg bent and back leg extended, move your body until you feel a stretch

   3. (Repeat step 4 - 5 for the left side)

6. Spinal twist

   1. Hold for about 30 seconds on each side

7. Downward dog

   1. Move through your feet to help greater stretch your hamstrings, calves, and achilles

8. End in child's pose as you reflect on the stretches you did - How did they make you feel? Do you feel relaxed? Do you feel like you stretched the right muscles? Is there anything else you need/want to stretch in order to feel fully at ease?

Reflection (5 Minutes)

• Reflect on the stretches performed today, considering how you felt before and after the full body stretch. For instance, if starting with the neck rolls and slowly rolling down to your toes set you up for the deeper stretches. Additionally, you can also reflect on the questions asked throughout the exercises with either the instructor or using a journal.

Note: Some stretches may need to be modified for certain people depending on their range of mobility. For instance, you don’t want to hyperextend any muscles, so make sure to maintain a stretch that’s right for you. This is a great exercise guide for people who are new to somatic movement. Additionally, since this is a full body stretch exercise, it is welcome to be followed by any other exercise guide that’s more involved such as improvisation, balancing, etc.