Most people know that they should move their bodies, especially after sitting all day. The problem is that it is too convenient to be lethargic and sedentary. Even healthy people can undo the positives of exercise with excessive sitting. Without mobilizing the body, it can grow tight, stiff, and sore. The problem is that going to the gym can be uninteresting, uninspiring even, especially if you are not a gym person. 

Perhaps you signed up for a gym membership for a New Year’s resolution and the membership is going to waste. You go every once in a while to feel like you are using your membership, but that does not count as staying active. The art of movement is making sure you move the body in different ways several times per week, or every day. One of the best ways to encourage more movement is to change how you think about exercise. Consider getting out in nature, attending different fitness classes, or other ideas that we’ll explore below. 

Hike For Better Mental Health

Working out benefits the brain and your overall outlook on life. The endorphin rush is real! You don’t have to go all out on the elliptical machine to reap those benefits, though. According to research, exercising outdoors can enhance both the physical and mental health benefits of the activity. Looking at greenery helps calm the mind, positively impact mood, and helps improve energy levels. All of those benefits make you more eager to exercise. Hiking immerses you in nature while simultaneously challenging the body. You can start out easy, but make sure to increase the difficulty of your hikes as you progress. 

Try New Workouts

Doing the same exercises can get you stuck in a workout rut. Consistent exercise is beneficial, but it is crucial to mix up your exercises. Changing your routine can not only keep the body safe, but also improve muscle strength, range of motion, and maximize workout results. Trying new forms of exercise or workout classes can also make you happier. Researchers note that novel experiences provide positive challenges and expose you to new perspectives. If you feel like you are stuck in a workout plateau, consider Zumba, spin class, HIIT workouts, Pilates, or other exercise classes that intrigue you. 

Adopt An Adventure-Based Mindset

Finding the motivation to exercise can often be the biggest obstacle. Adopting an adventure-based mindset can not only inspire you to work out, but can also improve overall health, according to researchers. In one study, participants stated that having the right mindset, i.e. focusing on resilience, controllable elements, and adventure, was more protective for their mental health. Other studies found that outdoor adventures increased positivity and overall life satisfaction. When you feel unmotivated to exercise, think about how you can turn your day into an adventure. That can be as simple as adopting a positive mindset during daily activities. Shift your perspective and you may find that your workouts are far more enjoyable. 

Posture Can Improve Your Stress Response

One of the most underrated aspects of fitness is proper posture and form. Anyone can do most exercises, but they render themselves useless if done improperly. Focusing on posture is an all-day challenge. Correct posture demands your full attention at all times because it is so easy to slouch and hunch. One of the best ways to expose yourself to proper posture is by engaging in yoga, which aids full body alignment. According to research, the posture of people who regularly practice yoga was significantly better than other people in the study. Adding yoga to your workout routine can help you not only improve your posture, but improve your form in other exercises you do.

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Going abroad for fun in the near future? Maybe you are traveling for work or simply planning a weekend getaway with the family. Wherever you are going, you can rest assured that you do not have to pack resistance bands or kettlebells to keep up with your workouts. 

According to researchers, there are many bodyweight exercises that can help you achieve a meaningful workout. The best part is that you can do them right from the comfort of your own hotel room, campsite, AirBnb, or wherever you are staying. Below, you will find a handful of bodyweight exercises that will get you the most bang for your buck. 

Burpees

Although burpees may be the most hated exercise on this list, they are highly effective for full-body cardio and training the legs, chest, core, and more. To do burpees, start in a standing position and then squat down, placing your hands on the ground and jumping your feet back to enter a high plank. Do a push-up, jump your feet back to your hands, and then explode upward and jump with your arms extended overhead. If you find this traditional way too challenging, you can walk your feet back into a plank, skip the push-up, and stand up to return to the starting position. Complete three sets of 10. 

Forearm Plank

A good old-fashioned plank can go a long way in strengthening your core. The sweat will start to drip after one of these! Begin in a tabletop position on your hands and knees, stacking your shoulders over your wrists and hips over your knees. Step your feet back to enter a high plank position. Carefully lower yourself down to your forearms and maintain a straight body, ensuring that you don’t let your hips sink. Hold for 30 seconds and then rest. You can increase the time as you get more comfortable with the exercises. Complete three rounds, holding at least 30 seconds each time. 

Mountain Climbers

Great for cardio, core, and shoulder strength, mountain climbers are great to do in or out of the gym. Enter a high plank position and then drive your right knee toward your chest, before switching it quickly in a fluid motion. Ideally, you want to look like you are running in place, but make sure to keep your shoulders stacked over your hands. If you need, you can take it at a slower pace. Need it to be more challenging? Bring your knee to the opposite elbow! Complete three sets of 30 seconds, resting for one to two minutes between each set. 

Bodyweight Squats

This is one of the simplest and space-saving bodyweight exercises you can do. It targets the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and core. Stand up straight with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight as you lower down into a squat position, sitting your butt back and making sure that your knees don’t extend beyond your toes. Engage your glutes and drive through your heels to return to the starting position. Complete three sets of 10-12 reps. 

Glute Bridges

Glute bridges target your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings, and they can help counteract poor posture. Start by lying flat on your back with your palms facing down by your sides. Bend your knees so that your heels are between three to six inches from your buttocks. Press the soles of your feet into the mat, engage your gluteus muscles, and lift your hips toward the ceiling. Interlock your fingers on the mat near your buttocks and keep your knees directly over your feet. Lower back down slowly, ensuring you don’t slam down on the floor. Complete three sets of 10 reps. 

Push-Ups

For the final move of the sequence, we have the tried and true push-up, which targets the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. Begin in a high plank position and keep your feet shoulder width apart. Keep the body in a straight line as you lower your chest to the floor, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle. Press back up by engaging the pectorals and shoulders and pause at the top before completing another rep. Make sure to do three sets of 10-12 push-ups.

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Going to the gym is not feasible for everyone. Busy schedules, after school activities, work functions and more can get in the way of gym time. As we’ve said time and time again, you do not need a gym to exercise. There are many at-home movements, many of which don’t require weights, that can help build strength, endurance, and stability. Fitness experts refer to a lot of these exercises as primal movements.

What Are Primal Movement Workouts?

Great for the joints because they encourage blood flow throughout the body, primal movements aim to help the body tackle everyday activities. They are natural patterns that have been a part of human mobility for many years. Primal movements work to improve posture, strength, mobility, balance, and overall fitness. They allow your body to move with less effort and tension. 

Primal movements are not only fundamental, but also natural to the human body. Exercise physiologists suggest that they may reverse the negative effects on the body that happen from modern lives. These movements may help correct poor posture that results from sedentary lifestyle.

Most Common Primal Movements

• Push movements: These revolve around the upper body and involve pushing weight away from your core. Alternatively, you push your core away from a stationary object, such as a bench or the ground. Push movements work your chest, shoulders, triceps, and forearms. 
• Pull movements: Similar to push movements, pull movements revolve around the upper body, only they involve pulling a weight toward your core. You can also support your body weight by pulling your core toward a stationary object, such as a bar. Pull movements work your back, biceps, forearms, and traps. 
• Lunge: Lunge movements require you to take a step forward or backward with one leg, while keeping the other leg stationary. These movements focus on one leg at a time and aim to strengthen the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves. 
• Squat: In a squat, you bend your hips, knees, and ankles in order to lower your butt toward the ground. The goal is to keep your back straight and chest up for proper form. Squats work to strengthen your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, while also improving lower body strength and balance. 
• Rotation/Twist: Rotation or twist movements involve twisting or rotating the body from side to side. These movements activate core muscles, targeting the abs and obliques, in addition to parts of the legs. 
• Hinge: Hinge movements require bending and revolve around the core muscles, especially those in the back. These movements also require you to activate your upper legs, including your glutes and hamstrings. During hinge movements, you maintain a steady upper body as you hinge at the waist to bring your upper body toward the ground. 
• Gait: Gait movements involve pulling, twisting, and lunging in order to make the body run, walk, or jog. A gait movement is classified by putting one foot in front of the other and moving the body backward and forward. 

What Are The Benefits Of Primal Movement Workouts?

As you probably know, there are mental and physical benefits to working out, especially as you get older. Practicing primal movements integrate the entire body, which helps condition your joints and muscle groups to work together. These movements can help enhance overall body integration, which ultimately improves athletic performance and reduces the risk of injury. When your major muscle groups consistently work together, the body can become more synchronized. 

Primal movements are suitable for all fitness levels because you can adapt the movements to accommodate your level of fitness. For example, you can do knee push-ups instead of regular push-ups. These movements do not require equipment, making them a cost-effective option for people who don’t want to pay for a gym membership. Finally, primal movement training can help reduce inflammation throughout the body. Strengthening the muscles around the joints can reduce joint pain and preserve the joint in the long run.

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In today’s digital age, it’s rare to see a person not hunched over a screen, be it a phone, laptop, tablet, or gaming device. With these devices, you have access to hours and hours of entertainment at your fingertips. You can play games, access the internet, or scroll through Instagram reels and TikTok clips until your heart is filled. Over time, though, straining your neck muscles to look down at these devices can misalign the spine and damage muscles. That can lead to poor posture, joint inflammation, pinched nerves, or even herniated discs. 

Tech neck can result from looking down at these devices. It is a term used to describe chronic neck pain that comes from straining the muscle while using technology. The head is heavy and the neck muscles are supposed to support it in an upright position. By tilting the head down while scrolling, for example, you strain your neck muscles, which can make the neck feel sore or stiff. You may even experience posture problems after a while. A 2019 survey of college students found that those who spent more time on their phones experienced more neck problems. 

The Effects Of Tech Neck

Over time, tech neck can lengthen the neck muscles and shorten chest muscles. That causes a hunched posture, which ultimately puts more pressure on the neck and slumps the shoulders. As a result of the misalignment, you may experience general neck pain, muscle soreness, and stiffness. Added pressure on the spine can pinch nerves, which cause tingling in the hands and lower back pain.

The damage goes beyond general neck and back pain, though. Constantly slumping the shoulders forward can pinch or rub tendons of the rotator cuff. Those are the muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint. Over time, that irritation can cause shoulder inflammation and pain, or rotator cuff tendonitis. Finally, extra pressure on the spine in the neck area can cause headaches and strain on the jaw joints, creating temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain. 

How To Prevent Tech Neck

First of all, you have to be more mindful of your posture while using your phone, tablet, or computer. Don’t hunch over the device; rather, keep the screen at eye level to avoid craning your neck to see what’s on the screen. It is easier to maintain healthy posture if you sit in a chair or take frequent breaks from your electronic devices. To avoid tech neck from computer use, make sure to have the monitor positioned straight in front of you. You can also improve your computer posture by:

• Using a computer monitor or laptop stand to elevate your screen to the right level
• Keeping your wrists straight and elbows bent at about 90 degrees
• Placing the screen about 20-30 inches away from your eyes (about an arm’s length)
• Keeping your knees in line with your hips and placing your feet flat on the ground
• Sitting with your head, hips, and spine upright and in line
• Using posture correctors, posture reminder apps, or standing desks to promote healthy posture

Exercises And Stretches For Tech Neck

According to a 2016 study of office workers with tech neck, completing shoulder and neck stretches five times per week helped improve symptoms. These movements also improved neck function after just one month. Regular stretching can also help build strength in the neck and shoulder muscles. Continue reading to learn about some simple exercises and stretches for tech neck. 

Shoulder Rolls

Begin in a seated or standing position with your back straight and arms by your sides. Direct your gaze forward and shrug your shoulders up to your ears, but don’t hunch forward. Squeeze your shoulder blades together to pull them back and down using your mid-back muscles. Release and push your shoulders forward to return to the starting position. Repeat for a total of 20 seconds. 

Reverse Shoulder Stretch

Begin in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart and direct your gaze forward. Interlace your fingers behind your back and try to point your thumbs down toward the floor, pulling your hands down to open your chest. You can raise your hands back and toward the ceiling to feel a stretch along your biceps and shoulders. Hold for five seconds before releasing. Repeat 10 times. 

Seated Neck Release

Sit down or stand up straight and let both arms hang by your sides. Tilt your head to the right and bring your right hand over your head, resting the middle finger over your left ear. Gently pull your head to the right using your right hand. Hold for five seconds before releasing. Repeat on the left side. 

Hand To Forehead Stretch

Stand up straight and place your right hand on your forehead, fingers pointing to the left side. Gently press your hand into your forehead while pushing your head into your hand. You should not move your head forward, but you should feel the resistance. Hold for five seconds and then repeat two more times. 

Chin Tucks

You can sit up or stand up straight for this final stretch, but make sure your chin is parallel to the floor. Keep your chin in a neutral position as you pull your head back, almost as if to make a double chin. Hold for five seconds before releasing and then complete two more times.

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Be sure to warm up before jumping into the workouts as they can optimize your workouts. The good thing about core exercises are that you don’t need to go the gym for these workouts.

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Working on your core can help improve posture and stabilize your muscles. Follow along with Maria and enjoy!

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One of the worst things you can do for your body as you get older is to stay stationary. If you want to move better, improve posture, and reduce your risk of injury, improving flexibility and mobility is key. Better mobility can help you wake up with less joint pain and overall stiffness. That is particularly important if you are in your 50s or above. 

At least one of your weekly workouts needs to place emphasis on mobility training. Yoga, pilates, swimming, mobility drills, and full-body stretching all count as mobility training. How you move matters, and the exercises in this article can help make everyday movement easier. Don’t you want to bend down to tie your shoes with ease? Don’t you want to wake up without pain? Practice the moves in this article and you’ll get there!

Windshield Wipers

Lie down with your knees bent, feet planted flat on the floor, and extend your arms out in a “T” shape. Press your knees together and let your legs fall to the left side until your left leg touches the ground. Keep your back flat on the floor as you sway them to the right side. Continue alternating side to side, like windshield wipers, initiating the movement from your core. Complete three sets of 30-second intervals, resting for one minute between each set. 

Spine Windmill

This exercise is similar to the previous one, only it helps open up the upper body instead of the hips. Begin by lying down on your right side, your arms extended out to the right with your hands in a prayer position. Stagger your legs so that your feet are roughly shoulder-width apart. Keep your legs and hips grounded as you rotate your spine, opening up your left arm to the left side, until it touches the ground and your upper body is in a “T” position. Follow your left arm with your gaze. Complete 10 reps total and then switch sides. 

Hand Walkouts

Begin by standing up straight with your feet hip-distance apart and arms down by your sides. Bend your legs slightly as you hinge at the hips to bend down. Touch your hands down near your feet and walk your hands out until you enter a high plank position. Make sure to engage your core and squeeze your glutes to keep a flat back. Engage your abdominals as you walk your hands back to your feet and then stand up straight. Complete three sets of 10 walkouts. 

Folding Table

You know the tabletop position when you are on your hands and knees? This is similar, but your stomach will be facing the sky. Sit down on your mat and place your hands flat on the ground on either side of your buttocks. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground about one foot away from your buttocks. Engage your shoulder muscles and glutes and press your hips up in the air to form a flat tabletop position. Hold this position for a moment before returning to the ground. Complete three sets of 10 reps. 

Ankle Squats With Pole

Use a pole, cane, or pillar as support for this exercise, which aims to improve ankle mobility and strength. Stand up straight in front of a pole or pillar and grab hold of it. Keep your feet together and then bend your knees, keeping them together as you squat down. Engage your glutes as you do this and allow your heels to lift off the ground, so that you come to the balls of your feet. Return to the starting position in a controlled motion, pressing up through the balls of your feet to do so. Ideally, you create some length in the calves and ankles during your three sets of 10 reps. 

90-90

This is a great mobility exercise to open up the hips. Begin by sitting on your mat with your legs in two 90-degree angles. You can do this by placing your left leg in front of you, bending your leg so that the outside of your left shin is on the ground and the sole of your foot is towards the right side. Bend your right leg in a 90-degree angle to your right side, laying the inside of your thigh and shin on the ground. Your left heel should be touching just above your right knee. This is the starting position. Sit up straight and engage your core as you reach your right arm across to the right side as far as you comfortably can. If you are able, fold your torso over your left leg. Return to the starting position and complete a total of 10 reps. Repeat on the other leg, completing three sets per side.

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Low-impact exercise is beneficial for several groups of people, especially those with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Engaging in these types of exercises can help prevent stiff joints, while also helping to build muscle, improve endurance, and improve bone and muscle health. Just make sure to rest if you feel joint inflammation, as you don’t want to aggravate the condition. Listen to your body and it will guide you down the right path. 

What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

RA is an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation in certain parts of the body, especially the hands, wrists, and knee joints. The tissue in the joint becomes damaged because the immune system mistakenly attacks cells. That can cause symptoms such as: 

• Joint pain, or aching
• Joint stiffness
• Weight loss
• Tenderness in the joints
• Fatigue
• Weakness

If you have RA, you can improve your overall quality of life via physical activity. It may seem daunting, but the right exercises may help improve symptoms. Ideally, engage in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. Your activity level may vary with RA, so consult a healthcare provider to determine the right exercise plan for you. Additionally, make sure that your program includes strength-training, flexibility training, and balance exercises. Consider the following gentle exercises if you have RA.

Walking

Almost everyone can benefit from walking, unless it is too painful, of course. Walking is a joint-friendly, bone-strengthening, low-impact aerobic activity. The Arthritis Foundation recommends that you frequency, intensity, and time regarding your walks. Aim to walk daily, or at least three to five times per week. Ideally, keep your speed at two to three miles per hour, with an average walking time of 30 minutes. 

Water Aerobics

People who have significant joint pain benefit from being in the water, as it reduces stress on the joints. The buoyancy of the water relieves pressure on the joints and you have more fluidity with your movements. If you work out at a health center, try to see if there is an aquatic aerobics class to join. You can also consider an underwater jogging belt that suspends you above the pool floor, putting zero pressure on your hips, knees, or ankles. 

Tai Chi

Tai Chi involves gentle, controlled, and slow movements that connect to your breathing. It can help relieve stress, strengthen the body, improve flexibility, and reduce pain. It may also improve balance, which can help reduce your risk of falling. Fitness experts suggest that you do not practice Tai Chi longer than you can walk comfortably. 

Zumba

If you want to engage in higher-intensity exercise without putting too much stress on the joints, Zumba might be the exercise for you. Zumba differs from other aerobics classes in that it helps you burn calories without taxing your joints. If you are new to Zumba, you will notice that your whole body feels the workout. That is because it is a full-body workout. Aim to take two hour-long classes weekly. 

Qi Gong

Qi Gong is beneficial for anyone seeking to improve posture, balance, and core strength. When you stand tall or sit up straight in a chair, imagine that a spring is lifting you from above. Close your eyes and breathe deeply for about 30 seconds. Continue to focus on your breath as you place your hands on your stomach and direct your focus to move your diaphragm in and out with every breath. Engage your core muscles and maintain balance and posture during your breathing. 

Stretching

A lot of people don’t consider stretching to be a form of exercise, but without flexibility you cannot move easily. You also have a higher risk of injury if your level of flexibility is low. Stretching can help reduce joint stiffness and make it easier to do everyday activities or household chores. You can stretch in a chair if that helps reduce stress on the joints. Chair yoga is a real thing! 

Yoga

Almost everyone, even people with swollen or tender joints, can practice yoga. Yoga can help increase muscle strength, improve balance, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve mobility. A small study found that yoga was beneficial for improving physical function and grip strength in people with RA. Try to avoid hot yoga or power yoga, as additional heat can put stress on the joints. 

Pilates

If you have RA and want to increase muscle strength, Pilates may be the right exercise for you. Pilates may provide relief for symptoms associated with RA. In fact, one study found that pilates significantly improved symptoms of RA, including depression, fatigue, aerobic activity, and sleep quality.

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It would be strange if you never heard the phrase, “Don’t forget to stretch before your workout.” This is reinforced by countless social media reels and shorts that explain how certain stretches or movements can end hip, back, knee, shoulder, or neck pain. Although it may seem like a waste of time, stretching can help you perform at your best and reduce the risk of injury. We aren’t talking about a few twists or bends, people. We are talking about dedicating at least 10 minutes to stretching before working out.

Benefits Of Stretching Before A Workout

Besides preparing the body physically, stretching before working out can aid mental preparation. Studies confirm that taking time to stretch and breathe mindfully every day can help reduce stress and anxiety. Additionally, it can aid total body relaxation. Stretching before working out gives you the mental calm that can help you approach your workout in the best way. It also helps you achieve better posture and balance during exercises. Finally, stretching before working out reduces stiffness, making you less prone to injury. Continue reading to learn about simple stretches to do before your next workout. 

Quad Stretch

To do this stretch, stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart. You can stand next to a wall or chair to use as support if needed. Bend your right knee, reach back with your right hand, and grab your right ankle to bring it close to your buttocks. Keep your knees close together and feel the stretch along the front of your right thigh. Hold for 20 seconds and then repeat on the other leg. 

Lunge

This builds on the previous quad stretch and targets your hip flexors. It also may help improve posture and muscle strength. To begin, stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart. Take a big step forward with your right leg and keep the left stationary. Bend your right knee until your thigh is parallel to the ground, but make sure the knee doesn’t extend beyond the toes. You can rest your hands on your right thigh for support, and make sure to engage your left glute to feel the stretch along your left hip flexor. Hold for 20 seconds and then repeat on the left leg. 

Butterfly Stretch

Begin in a seated position with your legs extended out in front of you. Bend your knees and draw your feet in towards you, planting them flat on the ground. Allow your knees to fall out to the sides and bring the soles of your feet together. You can gently press down on the insides of your knees to deepen the stretch in your inner thighs and groin. You can remain here for 20 to 60 seconds and then release. 

Forward Fold

This is a great way to stretch your hamstrings and lower back muscles. To begin, stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart. Take a deep breath in, raise your arms overhead, and exhale to come down, hinging at the hips to fold forward. Once your torso is parallel to the ground, you can round your back and let gravity help you down. You can reach your hands down to touch your toes, or grab your elbows and hang. Aim to keep your legs straight, but a slight bend is acceptable. Remain here for 20 to 30 seconds before slowly returning to the starting position. 

Upward Facing Dog

This stretch is great for opening up the upper back and chest muscles. Begin by lying flat on your stomach with the tops of your feet  on the floor. Bend your arms and plant your palms on the ground on either side of your chest. When ready, engage your chest and press up into upward dog. Drop your shoulders and tilt your head back. Hold this pose for 20 seconds and then release. 

Arms Across Chest

Stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart and arms by your sides. Take your right arm and reach across towards the left side of your body. Hook your left arm around the outside of your right and bring it in toward your chest. You should feel a stretch along the outside of your right shoulder. Hold for 20 seconds and then repeat on the other side.

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After the common cold and flu, low back pain is the top reason that people in the United States visit their healthcare provider. Pain in the lumbar spine, or lower back, is commonly accompanied by tight lower back muscles. If the low back is stiff, you may experience difficulty standing upright, sitting down, or changing positions. Low back stiffness can be caused by everything from injury and arthritis to nerve damage and sprain. It is up to you to stay on top of your pain to help maintain mobility and flexibility. 

Symptoms Of A Tight Low Back

A tight lower back can worsen over time, so you have to take action and take steps to ease tension when you feel it. The last thing you want is to let it reach a point where it is so tight that when you shake a bedsheet to make your bed, you collapse in pain. Tightness in the low back is usually accompanied by spasms, general pain, and occasional cramping. The pain usually feels like a dull ache and you may feel restricted when you twist or move. It’s also possible to feel tightness in the pelvis, hips, and legs. 

How To Improve Strength And Flexibility

Many simple stretches and movements can help improve both flexibility and strength. The goal is to lengthen and extend the spine to your comfort level. The last thing you want to do is worsen the pain or injury while trying to make it better. Stretching the hamstrings, doing core exercises, and engaging in hip mobility work can all benefit your spine. Consider the following stretches and movements to help relieve tension and improve flexibility in the low back. 

Knees To Chest

This stretch works to loosen muscles in the low back and increase flexibility, all while stabilizing the pelvis. To begin, lie flat on your back with both legs extended. Draw your right knee to your chest and interlace your fingers around your shin. Hold this position for five to 10 seconds, keeping your pelvis flat and square. Release your right leg and then repeat with the left leg. Release your left leg and then draw both knees to your chest and hold the position for 30 seconds. 

Pelvic Tilts

This exercise aims to strengthen the abdominals and lower back muscles, while simultaneously increasing pelvic flexibility. Lie flat on your back and bend your knees, planting your feet flat on the ground. You should be able to touch your heels with your fingertips. Engage your core so that the base of your spine presses into the floor and hold for five seconds. Relax and lift your butt off the ground slightly before returning to the ground. Continue alternating between these two positions for three sets of 10 reps. Make sure to take a minute to rest between each set. 

Child’s Pose

Besides corpse pose, child’s pose is one of the most relaxing yoga postures that can take pressure off the low back. It also works to lengthen, stretch, and align the spine. Begin on all fours in a tabletop position, stacking your shoulders over your wrists and hips over your knees. Widen your knees and bring your big toes together as you sit back onto your heels. Aim to bring your forehead to the mat and extend all the way through your fingertips. If necessary, place a bolster or pillow under your chest. Allow the body to relax and let go of any tension. Remain in this position for one minute. 

Reclining Single-Leg Stretch

A tight low back can cause tightness in the hamstrings, but stretching them can help realign the spine and reduce pain. Lie flat on your back with both legs extended. Lift up your right leg to extend it toward the ceiling, keeping a slight bend in the leg. You can bend your left leg and press your foot into the floor for support if necessary. Interlace your fingers behind your right hamstring or use a towel around the top of your right foot. Pull your leg toward you and stop once you feel a good stretch. Hold this position for 30 seconds before repeating on the left side. Complete two to three times per side. 

Hip Circles

This exercise aims to increase flexibility, release tension, and loosen the lower back and hip muscles. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and place your hands on your hips. Start by swaying your hips from side to side. Start to rotate your hips in one direction and make big circles, completing at least 10 circles in one direction. Repeat in the opposite direction and then rest. You can complete another set or two if you wish. 

Legs Up The Wall

This yoga pose aims to relax the pelvis and low back. It also provides a great stretch for your hamstrings and aims to improve blood flow from the lower extremities back to the heart. Begin in a seated position with the right side of your body against a wall. Lie down on your back and swing your legs up the wall, placing your heels against the wall. Aim to scoot your butt as close to the wall as possible. Relax your arms in any comfortable position and focus on relaxing the low back to release tension. Remain in this position for two minutes. 

Cat Cow

Not only does this pose improve spinal flexibility, but it also stretches your hips and lower abdomen. Pay attention to your muscles during this movement, especially if you feel stiff or sore. Start in a tabletop position, with your hands on the ground beneath your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips. Start by rounding your back, dropping your head down and engaging your buttocks to tuck your tailbone toward your head. Hold this for a second before arching your back, extending your head back.

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