Part 23: Seated Stretch and Complete Relaxation: Chest, Back, Neck, and Full Body Relaxation

Seated chest expansion exercise

Purpose: To stretch the chest muscles.

Prepare

Sit on the ground in a comfortable position.

Place your hands behind your back for support.

Pelvic tilt, abdominal muscle tension, sit upright.

action

Press your body down toward your hands, straightening your spine.

Stand tall with your chest out, elbows back, and shoulders together.

Tuck in your stomach.

You can feel the pulling force on your entire chest and front of your shoulders.

Hold for 8 seconds, then maintain normal breathing.

Key points

• Keep your neck straight, in line with your spine.

• To prevent elbow sprains, you can bend it slightly.

• To avoid bending your back, your abdominal muscles should contract.

Seated Triceps Stretch

Purpose: To stretch the triceps muscle at the back of the upper arm.

Prepare

Sit on the ground in a comfortable position.

Pelvic tilt, abdominal muscle tension, sit upright.

action

Raise your left arm, bend your elbow and point it toward the ceiling, with your fingers below your shoulder blade.

Grasp your left arm with your right hand and gently place your elbow behind your head.

Tilt your pelvis again and contract your abdominal muscles to prevent back pain.

I felt a pulling force on the upper part of my left arm.

Hold for 8 seconds, then repeat with your left arm.

Key points

• When placing your arms behind your head, first raise your elbows.

• If you have back pain, stretch from the head rather than the back.

• Keep your head straight and in line with your spine.

• It may be more comfortable to do this while standing.

Seated Back Stretch

Purpose: To stretch the muscles in the upper back (deltoid muscle).

Prepare

Sit on the ground in a comfortable position.

Raise your elbows to your sides, wrap your arms around your body, and clasp your hands together at your elbows.

Pelvic tilt, abdominal muscle tension, sit upright.

action

Keep your arms in the same position, tense your abdominal muscles, hunch your shoulders, arch your back, press your shoulders forward, and extend your head forward.

I felt a pulling force running across the upper back.

Hold for 6 seconds, then breathe normally.

Key points

• Lift your elbows before continuing the movement; this will stretch your back and make the stretching more effective.

• Keep your elbows bent.

• Arch your back and keep your shoulders above your hips to avoid leaning forward.

Seated side stretch exercise

Objective: To stretch the muscles on one side (rectus abdominis and latissimus dorsi).

Prepare

Sit on the ground in a comfortable position.

Use your left hand to support your left side on the ground, and raise your right arm towards the flower board.

Pelvic tilt, abdominal muscle tension, sit upright.

action

Raise your right arm toward the ceiling and straighten your spine.

Lean your body to the left, raise your arms to the highest point, and then move to the left.

Tight abdominal muscles and pelvic tilt.

I felt a pulling force on the right side of my body.

Hold for 6 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

Key points

• Keep your center of gravity in the middle of your body, and do not lift your right hip off the ground when raising your right arm.

• To avoid back pain, you can lean your arms forward slightly.

Press your shoulders down forcefully.

Seated Neck Extension Exercises

Purpose: To stretch neck muscles and release stress.

Prepare

Sit on the ground in a comfortable position.

Pelvic tilt, abdominal muscle tension, sit upright, shoulders relaxed.

action

Keep your back straight, tilt your head slightly to the right, and bring your ear close to your shoulder.

Press your shoulders down and feel the stretch in your left neck.

Hold on for a while, then return to the starting position.

The abdominal muscles are tense, and the spine is straight.

Perform this action on the other side.

Key points

• Keep your shoulders relaxed and your chest upright.

Keep your back straight and contract your abdominal muscles.

• Always maintain normal breathing.

relaxation exercises

Purpose: To relax the body and reduce stress.

Prepare

Lie on your back with a cushion under your head (or under your thighs) to find a comfortable position for your head.

I felt that my body was well supported by the ground and the mat.

action

Move your legs outwards.

Both arms also move to the outside of the body, palms facing upwards.

Breathe freely, and try to relax more with each exhale.

I feel myself slowly sinking.

Think about things that make you feel calm and relaxed.

You can stay in this position for as long as you want.

recover

Give yourself time to fully recover.

Open your eyes and slowly adjust to your surroundings.

Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground.

Carefully turn to one side and stay there for a moment.

When you feel ready to get up, use your hands to support yourself and slowly sit up.

If possible, then do some of the dexterity exercises introduced at the beginning of this chapter (especially neck, shoulder, and lateral bending exercises).

Transition posture from sitting to standing

Place your arms on your knees for support.

Tuck in your stomach and keep your back straight.

Don't use the force of your thighs to push down; instead, use the force of your legs to stand up.

Lifting exercise

Purpose: To stretch the body and recharge.

Prepare

Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, arms relaxed and hanging at your sides.

Pelvic tilt, abdominal muscle tension, stand up straight.

action

Raise both arms, lengthen your spine, and stretch your body as much as possible.

Lean forward slightly, keeping your body straight, and slowly lower your arms.

Repeat 4 times.

Take a few deep breaths to finish the exercise.

Alright! After all these exercises, do you feel energized again? Then get ready to start the rest of your day!