Stretching is a key and essential part of our G-Fit lifestyle. You MUST get in you stretching a few times a week, even if it is just a few minutes. Commit to 3 days a week and eventually work your way up to a daily 5 minute stretching routine and see how beneficial it will be to your mind and body!

Give this 5 minute stretching routine a try and see how much better you will feel when you are done. What I love is it uses a simple booty band, which allows you to guide your body into each stretch easier. If you don’t have a booty band, a towel works great too.

Remember, each side is different so it is completely normal to feel more tension in one side than another. Where every you feel that tension, hold it there and breath into it. If you find that these stretches are hard, be patient with yourself, start slow and little by little you will find that you will be able to go deeper into each stretch. Hope you enjoy this 5 minute routine.

Hold each stretch for 30 seconds to 1 minute before moving onto the next stretch.

Forward Fold: 

Seated on the ground, extend your legs out in front of you with your knees slightly bent. Place a booty band around the arches of your feet and with your toes flexed, slowly guide your body town towards your knees, gently pulling on the booty band until you feel a nice pull in your hamstrings. Pull little by little, eventually allowing your upper body to rest along your thighs and shins. Feel the nice stretch, breath and hold.

Toes Over Head

Lying on the ground, extend your legs up over head with your knees slightly bent. Place a booty band around the arches of your feet and with your toes flexed, slowly guide your toes towards the your face, gently pulling on the booty band until you feel a nice pull in your hamstrings. Little by little, continue to pull your legs further overhead until eventually your toes meet the mat beneath you. Where ever feels good in your body, feel the nice stretch, breath and hold.

*This is definitely more of an advanced stretch so wherever your feet go, is perfectly fine. If you are only able to pull your legs towards your face a few inches, and that feels good in your body, that is perfect. With practice and more flexibility, you will slowly be able to gain mobility in your hamstrings and improve your range of motion.

Butterfly Stretch

Start seated on the ground with your knees butterflied open and bottoms of your feet to touch. Place a band around the outer arches of your feet then slowly use the band to guide your forehead towards the mat. Gently rest your elbows on your inner knees, allowing your elbows to press your knees down towards the mat as you pull your body further forward for a wonderful stretch. Breath, and hold for 30 seconds to a minute.

Dancers Stretch

Start grounded on both feet with the band around the arch of your foot and holding the opposite part of the band with both hands. With a slight bend in your knee, slowly lean your upper body forward, towards the ground,  while lifting your banded foot to form a nice arch in your back, also known as a dancers pose. Use the pull of the band to balance and stretch both your hamstring on your grounded leg and shoulders. Breath deeply and hold for about 30 seconds, or as long as you can, then slowly lower and repeat on the other side.

*This is definitely more of an advanced stretch however you can always start in layers, holding onto something for stability before you fully embrace this full dancers stretch.

Tree Stretch:

Start grounded on both feet with the band around the arch of one foot and holding the the band with one hand. With a slight bend in your knee, slowly use the band to guide your foot out towards the side until it is parallel or slightly higher than parallel to the ground. Raise your opposite hand overhead to help with balance.  Breath deeply and hold for about 30 seconds, or as long as you can, then slowly lower and repeat on the other side.

*This stretch can always be done by holding onto something for stability before you fully embrace this full Tree stretch, balancing on one foot without holding on to anything.