Office Workers, This is For You: 2 Great Assisted Stretches for Inner Arms, Chest, and Wrists

Have you ever really stretched?!

You have never “really” stretched if you have only gently limbered up before a workout or quickly stretched after.

Most people who come to my class for the first time truly experience an “ah-ha” moment.

When they begin to stretch, they feel really tight muscle tissue that they have never felt before or even knew they had in the first place… it’s shocking! I can see it in their eyes and body language.

“Where did this come from? I had no idea I was so tight?” they say.

We learn a lot about what’s going on inside our bodies when we take time to really stretch.

Assisted Stretching helps create blood flow and circulation to constricted, tight muscles and releases tension to our joints and reduces risk of injury. Over time, as we listen and connect more with our bodies through regular stretching, we stand taller, sleep better, eliminate toxins easier, and become energized from the process.

It takes time to get “tight”… it also takes time to get “un-tight”!

Elongating overly-contracted muscles is life changing. The benefits are truly transforming lives and some of my students even say they are “addicted.”

Ahhh… music to my ears!

Here are 2 “ah-ha” stretches for you at the wall!

These stretches are really great for those of you who spend a lot of time typing on a computer all day.

TPTP Catalog Wall Forearm Wrist and Shoulder Opener.jpg

Standing Inner Arm/Shoulder/Chest Wall Stretch:

1. Stand at wall with one side to wall.

2. Place hand on wall at shoulder level and arms wide apart with fingertips facing backward and palm facing forward.

3. Press palm into wall and start turning your feet and body away from the wall until your body tells you “whoa.”

4. Hold 15 – 20 seconds and repeat with opposite arm.

Standing Wall Forearm/Wrist Stretch:

1. Face wall and place hands on wall with fingertips down and palms facing you.

2. Press palms in to wall and hold 15 – 20 seconds.

3. Now place back of hands on wall with wrist up and fingers down.

4. Raise hands higher than shoulders and press back of wrist into wall.

5. Keep slight bend in your elbows as you stretch!

Keep Stretching:

It Doesn't Come in a Bottle

This is a really hard question to ask, but…

Are you addicted to Ibuprofen?

If the answer is “yes,” then you are in good company because so many people are.

I have decided to write about it in hopes that this will give people hope that they can find alternative ways to deal with pain and feel better in their mind and body!

I have students that tell me that they have to take Ibuprofen before they work out in order to go through movements without pain.

Could it be magic?

Could “it” be magic? I can’t seem to get this question out of my head. You see, I have a new private student who is an avid golfer. She loves it and seems to be a bit competitive with her fellow golfers.

At our first session, I told her that stretching would improve her golf game.

She looked a me with skepticism, but said “well, if you think so, I hope so, I’ll give it a try.”

She has been stretching with me for 4 weeks now. Yesterday, she casually mentioned to me that she had her best golf game ever the day before.

Hydrate... and then hydrate some more!

Hydration is essential to life!

Think about it…

Every human, every animal, every plant, every tree, every blade of grass needs water to survive. If it doesn’t get enough, it shrivels, dries up, and dies.

What does hydration have to do with stretching, you ask?

2 Partner Stretches for Your Quads, Low Back & Upper Body

Did you know…

Our flexibility decreases by 10% every decade!

It does not matter if you are an extreme athlete, a fitness buff, play a sport, walker, runner, biker, swimmer, or if you’re none of these.

Muscle tissue tightens over time just by doing daily life!

One of the most beneficial ways to decrease tight muscle tissue is a form of Stretch Therapy known as Partner Stretching.

Debunking Common Stretching Myths: Stretching Is NOT About Touching Your Toes

Many people have the misconception that you have to be flexible to be able to stretch. They think that an Assisted Stretching class means trying to touch your toes or strain your muscles.

This is not true at all.

Assisted Stretching is NOT about trying to touch your toes or straining to stretch.

3 Easy Beginner Level Stretches for a Quick 10 Minute Stretch Routine

You don’t need hours of your day to stretch! And I’m going to show you how with this easy 10 minute beginner-level stretch routine.

You can call on any of these stretches throughout the day if you find yourself feeling tight and stiff. You don’t need any special equipment—only yourself and your home.

The Power of Posture, Part II: 2 Stretches for Your Quads

Our quads are responsible for every step we take. They stand us up and sit us down.

You don’t have to be a big athlete or work out every day or walk 20 miles a week—everyone’s quads tighten over time from our normal daily routines.

When our quads are overly-contracted, the muscle tissue shortens. These shortened muscles pull the hip flexor down which, in turn, tilts the pelvis down in front and up in the back.

This is a posture problem!

The Power Of Posture: 5 Stretches to Improve Posture

“If you don’t stand up straight… you are going to grow that way.”

This is what my mom used to tell us if she saw us slouching as we were growing up. At the time, we were made aware of our poor posture mostly for its appearance—not its health benefits.

Little did my mom know that poor posture is the cause of many health issues and she was right—you WILL grow that way!

Thank you, mom!

We can’t escape poor posture unless we are aware of it and take steps to correct it.

Here are 5 stretches to help you improve posture.

Grab A Partner: Try these 2 Hip Opening & Spine Elongating Partner Stretches

The truest form of Assisted Stretching is when someone (a partner) helps stretch your body into a deeper range of motion that you cannot do on your own. I call it “partner stretching.”

I first learned this technique in the late 1980s when I was at The Cooper Clinic doing research for my personal training business’ soon-to-be-launched Step Aerobics Program.

When I came home from Cooper Clinic, I started partner stretching my clients at the end of each workout session. I had many of them tell me that they would pay me to skip the workout and go straight to stretching—no joke!

StretchesConnie WilliamsJune 13, 2019