Stretching on a Bench or Chair

Stretching is often overlooked, even by me.  Nobody stretches enough.  Simply sitting at a desk for more than 20 minutes will tighten your thighs, hip-flexors and lower back.  Below are some easy office stretches you can do ANYWHERE!  So please, if you get a minute, STRETCH!

Standing Stretches:

•   Hamstring Stretch:
• Stand facing your office chair, a park bench, or even a sturdy table.  The higher it is, the more flexible you need to be.  Even the curb of a sidewalk will work.  Just make sure to be careful for oncoming traffic.  
• Place one leg onto whatever you are using.  Face your leg and stand as tall as you can.
• Make sure to square your hips.  The leg that your stretching, that same hip will want to lift.  Try to pull it back, or push the other hip forward slightly. 
• Stick your butt out as much as possible.  It's okay to have a slight arch in your lower back as long as this is comfortable with your body.  If you don't feel a stretch bend your standing knee slightly until the stretch intensifies. 
• ONLY if you DON'T feel a stretch, hinge forward.  Make sure to keep your hips square and your sit bones reaching wide.  Your butt stays bootylicious the entire time.
• Hold at least 30 - 60 seconds, pointing and flexing your foot, maintaining alignment. 

• Inner Thigh/Lateral/Lower Back Stretch:
•  Keeping your leg on your pedestal, simply turn so your shoulder lines up with your stretching leg.  Let the stretching leg turn however feel good.  Your standing leg will turn to line up with your knee.  If your stretching hip hasn't lifted yet, it will.  It will also want to drop backwards.  Use your stomach to push that hip forward and square off your hips.  
• Reach both arms straight up towards the ceiling.  Slowly side bend towards your leg. Try to keep your inside hip reaching front.  Let your bottom arm drop and rest on your leg for support.   Feel this stretch in both your inner thigh and your top side-body. Hold for at least 30 seconds. 
• Twist your torso to face your thigh. Both your hands will rest on either side of your leg. Feel this stretch both in your inner thigh and one side of your lower back. Don't worry about your hips here. Simply twist as much as feels good for your body.
• To transition out of this position, reach your top arm overhead, returning to your side stretch. Then, both arms reach up towards the ceiling.

• Quadriceps/Hip Flexor Stretch: You will feel this stretch where you need to feel it.  The larger angle in your back knee, the more you'll feel your hip flexor.  The shorter the angle, the more you'll feel your quadriceps.  

• With your back to the bench/pedestal, rest your toe on the edge.  Lean backwards towards the bench keeping your pubic bone reaching up towards your rib cage.  
• For a deeper stretch, lean backwards even more and try to bring your knees together and your hands onto the bench.  If your hands can't reach the bench comfortable, place them on your hips instead, maintaining stability through your hips.
• To make the stretch even deeper, bend your front knee slightly (like a lunge).  Make sure to keep your front knee behind your toe at all times. 
• Hold at least 30 seconds.

Repeat this sequence on both sides, stretching one leg first through the entire series first before stretching the second leg.

Seated Stretches:

• Figure 4 or Piriformis Stretch:
• Sit on a bench/chair with your legs hip width apart and your feet slightly turned out.  
• Cross one ankle over your opposite thigh.  Flex the foot before you cross the leg into the shape of a 4.  This will protect your knee.
• Press extra weight into your standing leg and push your crossed knee towards the floor.  Make sure to sit up nice and tall, sticking your butt backwards.
• If you want to make the stretch deeper, hinge forward, leaning towards your figure 4.

• Lower Back/Inner thigh stretch:  
• Sit with your legs wider than  your hips and your feet turned out.
• Slowly roll yourself down one vertebrae at a time until your hands are both resting on the floor in the center of your legs.  Let your whole body hang.
• Hold for at least 30 seconds.  Roll up to a seated position one vertebrae at a time using your abdominals. 

• QL Variation:  (Your QL, or quadratus lumborum, is on both sides of your lower back.)
• Start the same as the lower back/Inner thigh stretch.  Roll yourself down until both hands are resting on the floor.
• Reach both hands towards your right foot.
• Take your right hand and reach it up towards the ceiling, looking at your hand as you push your left hand into the floor.  
• Hold for at least 30 seconds.
• Return both hands to the floor and repeat on the left side.
• Return to center and use your abdominals to slowly roll yourself up one vertebrae at a time, until you are back in a seated posture.