Fireworks & flexibility : 3 Stretches for the 4th of July
4th of July is on a Thursday this week, you know what that means?
4-day weekend y'all!
Unless you have a job making you return Friday, in which case you should immediately take that up with HR.
So while you’re obsessively counting down your 3-day work week, and trying the best you can to push any action items to next week…
Be sure to take care of your body over the long weekend.
Here’s 3 ways how 👇
🍔 Flipping patties and clicking links
Ever agree to grill at your place?
Seems like a great idea until no one has any plans that day and everyone you invited actually shows up.
Which means that more than likely you’ll be at the grill station all day.
Compounded by clicking a mouse or track pad all week, your wrists/forearms are in need of a little love.
Grill love…
Be sure to stretch and flex those puppies out with 👇
#1 Wrist Stretch: flexion / extension
How to:
Step 1 - Bring your arm up to shoulder height and flex the wrist so fingers come towards you. Breathe into the stretch.
Step 2 - If you want a deeper stretch, rotate your fingers inward towards you and breathe there.
Step 3 - For extension, flip your wrist down so your palm is facing you. Breathe into the stretch.
*If you want a deeper stretch, rotate your fingers outward or away from you and breathe there.
⚡ Bad back BBQ
Picture this:
You got invited to a BBQ and you’ve got nothing going on, but you don’t want to show up empty handed.
So you decide to load up your finest cooler with drinks and ice.
It’s kinda heavy, but you can carry it 50 feet to a backyard.
After chatting everyone up all day, you grab the cooler to leave and one of two things happen:
You throw out your back and roll around on the floor in front of friends of friends
You pick up the cooler the proper way 👇
#2 Cooler Squat: Squat
How to:
Step 1 - Depending on the cooler size, bring your legs as wide as it feels good (and so that you feel stable). Your feet are roughly at 45 degree angle. Your back is flat and most importantly engage your core.
Step 2 - Make sure core is engaged, lift with your legs and not your back!
Step 3 - Use inner thighs and glutes to help you stand up. When you place it down remember to use your core + legs - not your back!
🧠 From beer helmets to “tech neck”
Long gone are the days of wearing a beer helmet to a 4th of July outing.
Not because the helmet doesn’t make sense as a drinking aide.
But because of the additional weight it’s placing on my head.
Just like tech neck, a drinky drink helmet (#rebrand) can cause more stress and weight on your neck.
Who needs that?
Help alleviate stress on your neck by doing the stretch below 👇
#3 Tech Neck Stretch: Ear to shoulder
How to:
Step 1 - Sit or stand up nice and tall; engage your core. Bring your right ear to right shoulder.
Step 2 - Place your right hand to your head and gently pull to feel a deeper stretch.
*Note #1 might be enough of a stretch! Opposite hand can be by your side.
Step 3 - You should feel the stretch through the opposite side your neck. Breathe into it. Then go to the other side.
🙌 Weekly inspiration
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
- Neale Donald Walsch
Want to stretch more but don’t know where to start?
Try The Morning Stretch, our Monday through Friday email with 1 stretch.
Building better habits, but the smarter (doable) way.
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🧠You may also like…
👀 Eye opening stats about sitting - Our bodies are jacked from second hand sitting
📝 3 Tips to get more movement in your day - Habit Stacking 101
🍑 The link between your a** & low back pain - its all connected mannn
