This Morning Stretch Unlocks Everything (FEEL AMAZING!)

If you wake up in the morning feeling stiff and achey, then you need to do this stretch every morning, workout or not. Not only will it help you wake up and get your day going, but it will help alleviate some of the aches and pains you wake up with.

When we sleep, many of our muscles get tight through the night and when we wake up, we feel stiff and full of aches and pains. This stretch will alleviate that by targeting some of those dormant muscles and waking them up through this dynamic stretch.

Regardless of what stretch routine you currently have, a dynamic stretching routine in the morning is one of the best ways to prepare your body for the day ahead. This is especially true if you have a workout planned that day as we know the drawbacks that static stretching before a workout can provide.

So what stretch am I talking about? The stretch in this video is called the squat fold. You keep your feet close together and squat down with your hands in front of and close to your chest. Note the positioning of my arms in the video.

In this position, you want to drop your butt down and try to become as tall as possible in this position. By extending through your thoracic spine, you are targeting those upper back muscles and working on your thoracic spine’s mobility. Hold this position for 2-3 seconds.

From here, lift your butt up and try to keep your hands on the ground. In this folded position, drive your knees back as far as you can to get a stretch on the hamstrings, calves, glutes, and low back. These are a few of the key areas that feel the most stiff from the positions that we sleep in.

Hold the folded position for another 2-3 seconds before returning to the squat position. If you are doing this as part of a larger stretching routine, then you only need to perform 5 or 6 repetitions. If you’re doing this as a standalone stretch, you can still perform a minimum of 5 reps up to 10 repetitions total.

Give this stretch a shot and see how much better you feel after waking up in the morning. If you found it helpful and / or think it could be a benefit to someone else, go ahead and share it with them.

For more tips on building muscle, nutrition advice, and stretching guides, be sure to stay tuned to this channel and remember to subscribe so you never miss another video from a physical therapist with a pro sports background as a PT and strength coach.

You can subscribe to this channel here – http://bit.ly/2b0coMW

Get Your Workout & Meal Plan:
📝 https://www.athleanx.com

Connect With Me:
👉 https://www.instagram.com/athleanx

For complete step-by-step workout programs, head on over to athleanx.com and make sure to use the program selector to find the training plan that is best suited to your personal goals.

Jeff Cavaliere MSPT, CSCS served as both the head physical therapist and assistant strength coach for the New York Mets. Jeff earned his Masters of Physical Therapy and Bachelor’s of Physioneurobiology from the College of Health Sciences University of Connecticut Storrs. He is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).