8 Full-Body Stretches To Do Every Single Day

Our muscles hold a lot of tension, especially after a tough workout or a long day at the office. Stretching immediately after a workout and throughout the day cant help alleviate some of that tension, as well as prevent strain and injury.

Signup & Get Early Bird Access To Our Personal Fitness App

Here are eight full-body stretches that will leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed. If you practice yoga, you may already be familiar with some of these techniques.

Reach Stretch

  1. With your fingers interlaced, raise your arms overhead with upward facing palms.
  2. Your arms should stay aligned with the ears. Look straight ahead, relax the shoulder blades.
  3. As you exhale, make a conscious effort to release shrugged shoulders and let them fall down your back.
  4. Hold this stretch for 5 full breaths.
  5. Release your arms back down to your sides, roll your shoulders frontward and backward, and then repeat the whole stretch again.

Shoulder Stretch

  1. Sitting or standing up straight, bring one arm across your chest.
  2. With the other hand, gently put pressure on your straightened arm pushing it further back, as if to help you scratch an itch on your back.
  3. Be sure to keep your shoulders down (no shrugging)
  4. Hold this for 3 to 5 breaths and do the other side.
  5. This is a great relaxation stretch if you sit at a computer all day.

Triceps Stretch

  1. Raise your right arm and bend it so your hand falls behind your head.
  2. With your left hand, grab the right elbow and gently press downward.
  3. This stretch will feel several kinds of amazing after a hard triceps workout.
  4. Release the right elbow and repeat on the other side.

Back And Neck Stretch

  1. With feet hip distance apart, bend forward over your legs.
  2. If tight hamstrings prevent you from doing this, bend your knees slightly.
  3. Fold your arms and let your arms and head be pulled down with gravity.
  4. This is a very gentle stretch so do not force it. Let gravity do the work and relax into the stretch.
  5. Moving your head in a “yes” and “no” motion further relaxes your neck.

Reclined Pigeon

  1. Lay on the floor, on your back with your knees bent.
  2. Place your right foot on your left knee. Now with both hands, grab behind your left leg and gently pull.
  3. You’re pulling your right foot and left knee toward you.
  4. You will feel the stretch in your right glute and hip flexor.
  5. This simple stretch releases so much tension in your butt it will be a new favorite.
  6. If you are super tight, this stretch may take some practice but truly it is one of the best.

Downward Facing Dog

  1. Bend at the waist and walk your hands out until your body makes an upside down “V” shape.
  2. Let your head fall and relax the shoulders and neck.
  3. As you keep your arms straight, press your hands into the floor, raise your sit bones and lower your heels.
  4. This is where you will get that wonderful stretch in the backs of your legs.
  5. Don’t force your heels down; with practice they will drop more and more easily.

Three-Legged Dog

  1. As you’re in the downward dog, lift one leg up as high as you can, making a straight line from foot to hand on that side.
  2. Now on the raised leg, bend the knee and let the weight of your foot draw your hip muscles open even more.
  3. Repeat on both legs.

Pigeon Pose

  1. Start in a tabletop position, lying face forward on a mat.
  2. Bring one foot up in front of you on the ground and bend your knee and rest that leg on the ground.
  3. Bring the opposing leg out straight behind you.
  4. You can remain with your upper body straight, or curl forward and rest your head or forearms on the ground.
  5. Hold for 30 seconds to one minute before switching leg positions. Complete 2-3 times on each side.