Effective Martial Arts Training with No Equipment or Partner vol 2: Ageless Flexibility and Joint Mobility [Kindle ed.]

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Disclaimer Introduction Warm-up Joint rotations Aerobic activity Static stretching Dynamic stretching Duration of the stretch Breath control Synergy Dynamic stretching Forward Leg Swing Sideways Leg Swing Bent-over Torso Twist Yin & Yang Backward bend with the toe touch Sideways bend Tai chi waist turner Beach ball Buckets of sand Towel

Hindu pushup stretch Tablemaker Kneeling back bend Rowing Dynamic split exercise Guidelines for increasing flexibility Perform early morning stretching Daily routine Static stretches Neck extensor stretch Neck extensor rotation stretch Neck flexor stretch Neck rotation stretch Shoulder flexor stretch Shoulder adductor, protractor, and elevator stretch Shoulder adductor, elevator, and protractor stretch One-arm shoulder flexor stretch Shoulder adductor and extensor stretch Wrist extensor stretch Finger flexor stretch Finger extensor stretch Lower-trunk flexor stretch Seated lower-trunk extensor stretch Standing lower-trunk lateral flexor stretch Standing lower-trunk flexor stretch Seated hip external rotator and hip extensor stretch

Hip external rotator stretch Recumbent hip external rotator and hip extensor stretch (crossed leg) Hip external rotator and back extensor stretch Hip extensor and back extensor stretch Standing bent-knee hip adductor stretch Seated hip adductor stretch Standing knee flexor stretch Seated knee flexor stretch Raised-leg knee flexor stretch Seated knee flexor and hip adductor stretch One-leg kneeling knee extensor stretch One-leg standing hip flexor and knee extensor stretch Single plantar flexor stretch Double plantar flexor stretch Joint rotations for loosening and preparing of the joints Wrist and elbow Ankles Knees Hips Neck Shoulders

Disclaimer: The material in this book is for informational purposes only. You should use proper discretion, in consultation with a health care practitioner, before undertaking the exercises and techniques described in this book. The author and publisher expressly disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects that may result from the use or application of the information contained in this book.

Introduction: Flexibility and joint mobility is crucial for martial arts as well as general well-being and health. Some martial arts techniques require a type of flexibility that the average Joe doesn’t possess. An obvious example is the high/head kick. If you can’t reach the head of your opponent with your shin/foot you will obviously never be able to perform and master that specific technique. Your balance is also connected to your flexibility. The more flexible your leg and groin area is, the more you can lean into the kick, which helps both your balance and the leverage of the kick. Therefore, the kicks become stronger and faster, and your reaction time after the execution of the kick increases. Unless it’s a fight-ending kick, you need to be very aware of what is happening after the kick has landed, and even if it is a fight-ending kick, you could be facing multiple attackers. Being flexible is also very closely tied to your general health. One of the signs of getting older is the loss of flexibility. You can help fight this aging process by working specifically on your flexibility. Being flexible also greatly decreases the chance of injury. Your muscles and joints can simply withstand greater and more sudden movements, which are the most common causes of injury. Another thing that strongly demonstrates the close relationship between being flexible and being a physical healthy human being is the relationship between diet, sufficient water intake, and flexibility. Sufficient water intake and a healthy diet increase your flexibility, and stretching will therefore become easier. Water intake and diet will be covered in depth in another volume of this series. Another aspect of this relationship is that excessive muscle mass and/or excessive fatty tissue works against being flexible. A healthy diet and sufficient water intake helps create a martial arts-style body without excessive muscle mass or fatty tissue. Flexibility also helps your general appearance. It increases muscle toning, your muscles will appear longer, and your body will have a healthier look. Health is one of the main attraction-triggers in human beings.

Be especially sure to work on the areas of your body where your muscles are the stiffest. In this day and age where people are tall and spend a lot of their time sitting down the lower back would be a usual problem area. Also remember that just because you are flexible in one spot or area doesn’t automatically make you flexible in another spot. Flexibility is not a general thing. People who are all-around flexible are so because they stretch all around. Generally speaking, there are two types of flexibility. The one that involves motion is called dynamic flexibility. The one that does not is called static flexibility. Dynamic flexibility is more closely related to martial arts and athletic activity, even though static flexibility is what is usually referred to as flexibility.

Warm-up: The temperature of a joint has a direct influence on the level of flexibility in that joint. Therefore, it’s a good idea to have a light warm-up before you begin extensive stretching or a workout. There should be a difference in your approach to stretching in regards to your goal in that specific moment. A warm-up stretch should be light, and relatively speaking, quick compared to, for instance, a stretching regimen that is focused on increasing permanent flexibility, and therefore athletic ability. Not performing a warm-up can increase the risk of injury. For your warm-up, it is recommended that you proceed as follows: (1) Joint rotations. (2) Aerobic activity. (3) Static stretching. (4) Dynamic stretching. Joint rotations: Start with your toes or neck and then move down or up. Move through every joint. You should perform slow circular movements, both clockwise and counter-clockwise, until the joint seems to move smoothly. Usually this shouldn’t take more than 5-6 seconds each rotation. Aerobic activity:

What kind of aerobic activity you chose to perform is up to you. Common ones are jogging or skipping rope. You should aim to do this for at least 5 minutes. This point of this aerobic activity is to slightly increase your body temperature. Static stretching: These stretching exercises should be performed in a slow and relaxed manner. The goal is to prepare the body for exercise. The warm-up itself is not the objective. Try to include every area of your body; if you don’t have the time for stretching the entire body, then focus on the muscles you will put the most strain on during your workout or stretching regimen. Dynamic stretching: Again, go light. Perform the movements relaxed and slowly, doing the number it takes to reach the maximum movement. Don’t fatigue the muscles. After your workout you would ideally perform a cooling down process. In this process, you would do the dynamic stretching before the static stretching. Try to do this immediately after your workout, and try not to allow yourself to get tired and cold. The goal you are aiming for after a workout is to decreases muscle soreness and increase muscle growth. When performed quickly after the exercises that caused muscle fatigue, static stretching of the fatigued muscles enhances the promotion of muscular development. Besides this, it also helps your flexibility. When you fatigue your muscles you develop a so-called “muscle pump,” which is actually a shortening of the muscle. In a strength exercise you usually don’t force the muscle through its full range of motion. Therefore, it’s important to make sure the muscle doesn’t “grow” stuck in one place, forgetting its full motion range. To prevent this, we stretch after a workout. This also creates toned muscles compared to a more bulky looking muscle. Stretching also helps remove some of the lactic acid that the strength workout has created in the muscles. Besides this, you will feel better the day after because you won’t be as sore. This helps you to perform another, tougher workout sooner, so as to create a stronger and better-conditioned body.

So far we have identified 3 goals related to performing stretches: Warm-up: Usually dynamic and static stretching Flexibility increasing workout: Usually static stretching and PNF stretching Post-strength or cardio-based workout: Usually static and dynamic stretching Another thing that is worth mentioning is your choice of clothes when stretching. This is more important that most people realize. There are two reasons for this: Your choice of clothes can hinder your movements, and therefore your flexibility. The second reason is that you can ruin the clothes you are wearing by stretching in them. If the purpose of your stretch is a general warm-up, then it’s not that big of an issue since you are not going to be engaging in the most extreme of movements, but if it’s the general increasing of flexibility you are after, your clothes can get messed up. Ideally, you could do your stretching naked. If that is not possible socially, then use gi-pants/yoga pants and a t-shirt in a size that is large for you.

Duration of the stretch: If the stretching exercises are part of a warm-up or cooling-down process, then try to perform the stretch for about 10 seconds. If the idea is to develop better flexibility, then try to hold the stretch for at least 30 seconds. Stretching can be somewhat painful and uncomfortable, so it can be very productive to count in your head or out loud. Don’t give yourself a chance to cheat. In regards to the pain, it should be a tension or a “pins and needles” type pain. If you experience an “ouch” type pain, a sudden and sharp type pain, then you are overstretching and you should ease back the range of movement. Usually the sharp sudden pain is preceded by a burning sensation where the stretch takes place. If this happens, back off and reduce the intensity of the stretch.

Breath control: Always perform slow and relaxed breathing while stretching. After holding a

static stretch for a while, it is usually possible to stretch the muscle or joint further. This should be done while exhaling. You should inhale through the nose using the abdomen, and exhale through your mouth. Hold the breath for a moment before exhaling. Don’t force the breathing at any time; always try to relax while stretching.

Synergy: You can increase the effectiveness of your stretching by performing the exercises in synergy. This means that you stretch a muscle or joint together with its synergist. The synergist is the opposite, or supporting, muscle or joint. Use this general outline covering the main areas. I have included some suggestions from this book: Upper back: Seated lower-trunk extensor stretch

Lower back: Lower-trunk flexor stretch

Entire back: The two above

Sides: Shoulder adductor, protractor, and elevator stretch, shoulder adductor and extensor stretch.

Buttocks: Recumbent hip external rotator and hip extensor stretch (crossed leg) Calves: Single plantar flexor stretch Shins: Double plantar flexor stretch Arms: Shoulder adductor, protractor, and elevator stretch

Hamstrings and/or groin: Seated knee flexor and hip adductor stretch Hamstrings: Standing knee flexor stretch Quadriceps: One-leg standing hip flexor and knee extensor stretch Chest: Shoulder flexor stretch

Dynamic stretching: One very important thing to remember with dynamic stretching is to work towards your full range of motion in a gentle way. The movements should be slow and controlled; no bouncy or sudden movements. Dynamic stretching

exercises are not strength exercises, so they should not be treated as such, meaning that you don’t work towards muscle fatigue and push yourself towards feeling tired. Tired muscles have less elasticity and you therefore won’t be able to extend to your full range of motion. This defeats the entire purpose. Also, this can actually decrease flexibility, as the muscle will remember this shortened movement. In a way, dynamic stretching exercises are light imitations of sport or martial arts movements. Do these 8-15 times when you decide to do them. Try to put every part of the body through a dynamic stretch if you have the time, or else focus on those that most closely resemble the movements you will perform in your workout. Examples of dynamic stretching exercise: Forward Leg Swing: This is a great exercise that dynamically stretches your hamstrings, hip flexors, and extensors. Find something you can hold onto that provides enough space for you to swing your leg forwards and back in front of you. A wall or tree will do. Flex and extend one leg at a time. Keep your legs straight (but knees unlocked) and your upper body straight and facing forward. Your eyes should be facing in front and your shoulder blades should be retracted. Start by making small swings and progress the stretch a little bit every swing. After 10 or 15 swings you should be reaching your highest point. Do the same thing for the other leg. If you would like to do something more advanced, don’t hold onto anything. This takes great balance and coordination. It helps if you focus on one point and use your opposite hand to touch your toe.

Sideways Leg Swing: This exercise dynamically stretches your adductors, and it goes great with the forward leg swing. Find something to hold onto. I typically do mine against a wall. Face the wall and place both hands on it for balance. Swing one leg at a time from side to side. It helps if you get on your toes as you swing. Make sure you are facing the wall throughout the entire swinging process.

Don’t let your torso rotate as you swing, because you want to place the focus on your adductors.

Bent-over Torso Twist: Start by standing with your feet wide apart. Extend your arms out to the sides and bend over, touching your right food with your left hand. Rotate your torso so that your right hand touches your left foot. Ensure that both arms are extended out so when one hand touches the foot, the other hand is pointing to the sky. Look at the hand pointing towards the sky. Keep rotating like this for 30 repetitions at a moderate pace.

Make sure that your back is straight (not arched) and that your shoulder blades are retracted. Don’t flex your back! Keep your upper body aligned properly. Keep your legs extended (but knees unlocked) as you perform your repetitions.

Yin & Yang: Start in a downward-facing position with your weight on your left foot and the other leg extended with both feet flat on the ground. Try to keep your back straight and the shoulders up. Shift your weight to the other foot. Keep your hands on your knees or thighs as you’re doing this. This exercise in particular stretches the groin area.

Backward bend with the toe touch: Put your hands on your hips, and lean back as much as you can. Push the hip forward when you’re leaning back. Then lean forward while exhaling with knees straight and then touch the ground if possible. Put the entire hand on

the ground if you can, then repeat.

Sideways bend: Put your hands behind your head and pull your elbows back. Your heels should be kind of together pointing slightly outwards. Go sideways as far as you can, and then the other way. Hold the stretch for a couple of seconds. You can breathe in on one side and breathe out when you come down the other side.

Tai chi waist turner: The simple way to explain this exercise is that you simply rotate your waist and have your arms follow the rotation. The arms should dangle by your sides in a relaxed manner. The rotation is what moves them. They should slap the back and kidney area lightly. Do around 50-100 rotations. This exercise loosens up the waist and back, and massages the inner organs.

Beach ball: Raise your hands over your head with your hands turned inwards. Go as high as possible, raise your traps as high as you can, and then relax them and then repeat. Imagine you are holding a beach ball over your head and you should get the idea.

Buckets of sand: Imagine you are holding two buckets of sand in your hands. Lift your hands up all the way to your armpit. Then raise your elbows up and down, and also back and forth. Your elbows should be around ear-height.

Towel: For this stretch you could use a towel of some kind or a stick, for instance. Your arms should be straight at all times. Inhale, lift your arms up, and go down to your buttocks while exhaling. Inhale again and do the opposite. The further your hands are from each other, the easier the exercise will be. In time you should move your hands closer to each other. Most people would start with their hands as far from each other as possible. Also do the exercise sideways.

Hindu pushup stretch: This exercise is performed on the ground. Your legs should be wider than shoulder-width, hands straight but turned slightly outwards. Push your body back and look at your feet. Push your shoulders back with a flat spine, hold that position, and then come through and under with your head up and butt down. Look towards the sky. Then repeat.

Tablemaker: This is also performed on the ground. Assume a sitting position with your hands by your side and push up and lift your body high up into the air, as high as you can, then come back down to your hands. Your upper body is the table, per se.

Kneeling back bend: For this stretch, you are kneeling down with your back straight and hips and pelvis pointing forwards. Lean back as far as you can go, preferably all the way to the ground. Have your hands behind your buttocks. Try not to bend your hips when you come up.

Rowing: This stretch works your hamstrings and your lower back. Have your legs straight or slightly bent and your arms gently folded. Have your arms in front of knees, and then just roll down across your knees. Here you can be exhaling. Come out and up, don’t stand all the way up. Try to keep the back bent and parallel.

Dynamic split exercise: With your leg spread out wide on floor, move down in front, move hands forward and out, then repeat; back goes up every time.

Guidelines for increasing flexibility: If you are serious and want to see results quickly; I suggest following all these guidelines. Following one or some will also have a significant and positive effect. It’s better to start out with one and then slowly add more to your day as you develop your new routines than to start out with all of the guidelines and then crash and burn because you undertook a larger task than you were ready for. A simple plan that is adhered to is infinitely better than a complex plan that’s not. Making a plan and following it is covered more in depth in volume 5 of this series. Perform early morning stretching: It is best to do this every morning. Make sure you warm up first; go through the warm-up structure mentioned previously: (1) Joint rotations. (2) Aerobic activity. (3) Static stretching. (4) Dynamic stretching. After this warm-up, you have two choices: You can make this early morning stretching routine your primary daily flexibility-increasing workout, or you can keep it for what it’s intended to be, which is a short stretching routine intended to take advantage of the time of day to increase the body’s receptiveness to later exercise, which could, but doesn’t have to, include stretching. This morning stretching routine prepares the body for flexible movements later in the day, and is very productive if you need to perform large movements with little or no thorough warm-up. If you have some sort

of class later in the afternoon or night this would be a great idea. In a class or training session, the warm-up can sometimes be very thorough and sometimes not. If you choose to make this morning routine your general daily flexibilityincreasing workout, you would just combine it with the next guideline that I am about to discuss. Daily routine: Have a daily stretching routine that consists of static stretching 3 times a week and PNF stretching 3 times a week. Do this so that the two types of stretching alternate, meaning that one is followed by the other. For instance: static on Monday, PNF on Tuesday, and so forth. Then have one off day per week. Off days and their usefulness will be discussed more in depth in another volume of this series. But what is PNF stretching? It’s simply static stretching with intervals of opposite force or contraction, which means that you press in the opposite direction of the stretch. Start with going out in your widest range of motion in a static stretch. After you do that, relax and press in the opposite direction of the stretch. Make sure you contract and press hard, and hold that for preferably 30 seconds. After that, relax, and then go back out into the static stretch. If done correctly, you should be able to go out further in the static stretch position compared to before. Hold this new range for 30 seconds, and then relax and press hard in the opposite direction again. The longer you keep this going, the better the results. If you have any doubts as to how and where to press opposite, just do the static stretching and feel where the tension is. That is where you should press. Also think to yourself: What is the opposite movement of what I’m doing? Another way of explaining it is that you fight the stretch when you apply force in the opposite direction. You’re violently fighting the static stretch. The last guideline is to always do a thorough warm-up and cool down before and after any athletic activity. You don’t need to perform a cool down if your workout is a stretching routine or if the stretching routine is at the end

of a workout, but you do need to perform a warm-up. Always make sure your muscles are warmed up before you stretch.

Static stretches: This means moving to the outer limit of movement and staying there for a period of time. Neck extensor stretch: Sit or stand upright. Interlock your hands on the back of your head near the crown of your head. Lightly pull the head straight down and try to touch your chin to your chest.

Neck extensor rotation stretch: Sit or stand upright. Place a hand on the back of your head near the crown of your head. Pull your head down toward the same side and try to touch your chin as close as possible to your shoulder.

Neck flexor stretch: Sit or stand upright. Interlock hands and place your palms on your forehead. Pull your head back so that your nose points straight up to the ceiling.

Neck rotation stretch: Stand or sit upright. Place a hand on your chin. Pull your head back towards the right or left so that your head points toward your shoulder. Keep your head straight; do not lay your head down to either side.

Shoulder flexor stretch: Stand upright while facing a doorway or something similar. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. With a straight arm, raise your arm to shoulder level and place the palms of your hands on the walls or doorframe with the thumbs on top. Lean your body forward on the side of the arm that is on the wall.

Shoulder adductor, protractor, and elevator stretch: Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bring one arm across the front of your body. With the other hand, grab with the wrist around the elbow area of the first arm. With the hand now located by the elbow, try to pull your elbow towards the other side of your body.

Shoulder adductor, elevator, and protractor stretch: Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Raise one hand high and behind your head so that your hand is between your shoulder blades. Then bring the other arm up, and with it grab your elbow. Push your elbow downwards.

One-arm shoulder flexor stretch: Stand upright with one arm behind your back and your elbow bent at about 90 degrees. Place your feet shoulder-width apart with your toes pointing forward. Grasp one elbow with the other hand. Pull the arm across your back and up towards the opposite shoulder.

Shoulder adductor and extensor stretch: Stand in a squatting position while facing a doorway or something similar. Grab the inside of the doorjamb at shoulder level with either hand. While keeping your arm straight and your feet firmly planted, lower your buttocks toward the floor.

Wrist extensor stretch: Flex both wrists and place the back of each hand on the floor or a table, shoulder-width apart. Point your fingers toward your knees. While keeping your elbows straight, lean backward (buttocks to your heels), keeping the backs of your hands on the floor or table.

Finger flexor stretch: Sit or stand upright. Flex one elbow at a 90-degree angle, and extend your wrist as far as possible. Point your fingers upward. With the other hand, push the fingers of the first hand towards the elbow.

Finger extensor stretch: Sit or stand upright. Turn one arm so that your palm is facing up, and flex your elbow to a 90-degree angle. Flex your wrist to a 90-degree angle, and flex your fingers so that they are pointed toward your elbow. Place the other hand on top of your fingers and press your fingers down toward your forearm.

Lower-trunk flexor stretch: Lie face down on the floor. Place both hands palms-down on the floor; fingers point forward by each hip. Slowly arch your back, contracting your buttocks. Continue arching the back and lift your head and chest off the floor.

Seated lower-trunk extensor stretch: Sit upright in a chair with your legs separated. Slowly round your upper back and begin to lean forward. Continue to bend at the waist and lower your head and abdomen between your legs and below your thighs.

Standing lower-trunk lateral flexor stretch: Stand upright with your feet together and with one side of the your facing a wall or something like that, about an arm’s length away. Place the palm of the one hand on the wall at shoulder height, and place the heel of the other hand or the elbow at the hip joint. While keeping your legs straight, contract your buttocks and slightly rotate your hips inward toward the wall.

Standing lower-trunk flexor stretch: Stand upright with your legs 2 to 3 feet apart, with your hands placed on your hips. Slowly arch your back, contracting your buttocks and pushing your hips forward. Continue arching your back, and drop your head backward.

Seated hip external rotator and hip extensor stretch: Sit on the floor with one leg extended straight out in front. Bend the knee of the other leg and place that foot flat against your inner thigh, as close as possible to the pelvic area. Place your hands on the floor next to your thighs. Bend your trunk over toward the straight knee as far as possible until you start feeling a slight stretch. If possible, keep your knee down on the floor as you bend over. As you bend over, reach out with your arms toward the foot of the straight leg.

Hip external rotator stretch: Stand upright on one leg with your knee straight; face a support surface (such as a table or beam). The other leg should be bent at the hip at about a 90degree angle and rested on the support surface; the outside of the lower other leg rests as flat as possible on the surface. (You can place a towel or pillow under the foot and lower right leg for cushioning if you feel the need.) Lower your trunk as far as possible toward the foot on the support surface, keeping your knee as flat as possible on the surface.

Recumbent hip external rotator and hip extensor stretch (crossed leg): Lie on your back. Bend one leg so that your knee is raised up off the floor while keeping the other foot on the floor. Bend the second knee and cross the ankle over just above the first knee. Grasp the leg just under the knee with both hands, and pull that knee along with the bent knee toward your chest as far as possible until you start feeling a stretch.

Hip external rotator and back extensor stretch: Sit on the floor with one leg extended. Bend the other leg and place your foot on the outside of the other knee. Bend the closet arm and position the outside of your elbow against the outside of the upraised knee. Now hug your knee and bring it towards your chest.

Hip extensor and back extensor stretch: Lie on your back. Bend one knee and bring it toward your chest. While keeping the other leg flat, grasp the bent knee with both hands and pull it down toward your chest as far as possible.

Standing bent-knee hip adductor stretch: Stand upright with your legs more than shoulder-width apart and with one foot turned out. Lower your body (hips) to a half-squatting position, bending one knee and sliding the other foot outward to the keep the non-bending knee straight. While going down, place your hands on the top of the bent knee for support and balance.

Seated hip adductor stretch: Sit on the floor in the lotus position (knees bent, feet together with the soles touching). Bring the heels of your feet as close as possible to your buttocks. Grasp your feet or just above your ankles with elbows spreading sideways and touching your legs just below the knees. Bend the trunk over toward your feet, and press the lower part of your thighs and knees down with the elbows while stretching.

Standing knee flexor stretch: Stand upright with the forward heel 1 to 2 feet ahead of the toes of the other foot. Keeping the forward knee straight and the back knee slightly bent, bend your trunk over toward the forward knee. Reach your hands toward the forward foot.

Seated knee flexor stretch: Sit on the floor with the legs extended and the inside of the ankles as close together as possible. Keep your feet relaxed in a natural position. Place your hands on the upper part of your legs. Bend at the waist and lower your head toward your legs. Keep the back of your knees on the floor. While bending forward, slide your hands toward your feet and keep them alongside your legs.

Raised-leg knee flexor stretch: Stand upright with your weight balanced on one leg. Place the other leg with your knee straight on a stable object. Bend at the waist, extend your arms over the lower straight leg, and lower your head toward the straight leg, keeping the knee as straight as possible. Keep the knee of the leg on the ground straight and both feet pointing in the same direction.

Seated knee flexor and hip adductor stretch: Sit on the ground with your legs extended in a “V” position (feet far apart from each other). Place your hands on the ground in between your thighs. Keep both knees straight and as flat against the ground as possible. Reach your hands out toward the center or slide your hands forward along your legs and bend your trunk over between your knees.

One-leg kneeling knee extensor stretch:

One-leg standing hip flexor and knee extensor stretch: Stand upright with your weight balanced on one leg. Keep that foot pointing straight forward and your knee almost straight. To help maintain balance, brace your free hand on a wall or something similar. Bend the knee of the other leg; grasp that foot or ankle tightly and pull your heel backward and slightly upward to within 4 to 6 inches of your buttocks. At the same time, push your hips forward.

Single plantar flexor stretch: Stand facing a wall, around 2 feet away. Brace your hands against the wall, and while keeping one foot in place, place the other foot 1 to 2 feet behind the first foot. The front foot is 1 to 2 feet away from the wall and the other foot is 2 to 4 feet away from the wall. While keeping your back heel on the floor, lean your chest toward the wall. You can bend the forward knee slightly to facilitate moving your chest up against the wall.

Double plantar flexor stretch: Stand upright on the edge of a stair or beam, with both heels unsupported out past the edge. Keep both knees straight, and hold on to a support with at least one hand. Lower both heels down as far as possible.

Joint rotations for loosening and preparing of the joints: Always remember to rotate both ways. Do the rotations until you feel loose; this would usually be 2-5 seconds. Do this before any major physical activity. It should only take 2-3 minutes at the most, and can save you a later injury and general wear and tear of your joints. Wrist and elbow: Put your left hand up – turn it over, right hand up, turn it over, palm down, interlock your fingers, bring your hands in and bring them out. Then undo your hands and cross them over the other way and repeat the exercise, trying to extend all the way. If you can’t extend them all the way don’t worry about

it. You’ll get there in time. After this then crack your fingers and knuckles.

Ankles: You can roll them out on the floor. Put your toe down and really roll it out. Really put your hip into it. Keep the ankle loose while doing this. You can also do this with your foot up in the air. That can help your balance as well. Imagine your big toe is a paintbrush and you’re painting a circle.

Knees: You can do this with your feet together, hands on your knees and then roll your knees around in a circle. Don’t snap your knees; keep them bent at all times. You can also lift your foot in the air and paint like a paintbrush with the bottom of your foot.

Hips: Bring your leg around in a wide circle – to the outside and come in, you can touch your hand if you like, and then go the other direction. You can also try and keep the leg moving the entire time – without touching the floor. This helps work on your balance if you choose to do it that way. You can also do the classichands on the hips and then rotate. Do this in a moderate circle and try to keep your head still.

Neck: Let your ear go towards your shoulder, then let your chin drop down, go all the way around, also in at the back. Do this at a moderate pace.

Shoulders: Bring your shoulders up and roll them backwards, in both directions. You can also do this one arm at a time. You can also hold one arm out and shrug the shoulder as if you’re hitting the other arm. You can also swing the arm forward and have your bicep touch your ear without moving your head, and swing the other way with the other arm – your waist should turn with it. Another variation is to bring one arm up and the other one back as far as you can, and hold briefly when you get to the maximum.