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Kelsey Wells' daily stretch routine to do at home

This 12 minute full-body stretching routine from ​Sweat trainer ​Kelsey Wells is something you can practice daily at-home and requires no equipment.

This routine includes a range of static stretches that will help ease muscle tension in common problem areas, particularly after a long day of sitting.

“Stretching is very beneficial to include in your regular routine as it can help enhance flexibility, mobility, release muscle tension and much more,” Kelsey tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

“This routine includes a variety of static stretches, ‘static’ meaning you hold and maintain a fixed point of a stretch for twenty seconds or longer. Static stretching can help to enhance your flexibility.”

Try this stretch session daily to help relieve muscle tension. Photo: Supplied/Sweat
Try this stretch session daily to help relieve muscle tension. Photo: Supplied/Sweat

Hold each stretch for 60 seconds and do two laps.

Child’s Pose

A great full body stretch that releases tension in the lower back, adductors and lats.

Starting on all fours on a yoga mat, ensure that your knees are below your hips and your hands are below your shoulders.

Draw your glutes towards your heels and lower your torso towards your thighs. At the same time, extend your arms along the mat, resting your head on the mat between your arms. Draw your shoulder blades down and back.

Downward Dog

Perfect for stretching the lower back, hamstrings, calves and hips as well as your chest and abdominals.

Step 1: Place both hands on the mat slightly further than shoulder-width apart, feet together on the mat behind you while resting on the balls of your feet in a push-up position. This is your starting position.

Step 2: Inhale. While maintaining a neutral spine and stabilising through your abdominals, elevate your hips to create an inverted ‘V-shape’. With knees slightly bent, press your heels into the mat and tilt your tailbone upwards. Open your chest and create space between your shoulders and ears by drawing your shoulder blades down and back.

Cobra

An effective way to stretch the abdominal muscles.

Start by lying flat on your stomach on a yoga mat, resting your forearms on the mat on either side of your chest.

Press your forearms into the floor and slowly elevate your chest off the mat. Draw your shoulder blades down and back while ensuring that your head is an extension of your spine.

Standing Lats (Side Stretch)

A great stretch for the lats which can assist with freeing up the shoulders and scapula.

Plant both feet on the floor hip-width apart. Inhale. Stand up tall and extend your right arm directly above your head.

Exhale. Reach your right arm over to your left side to lengthen the right side of your body. Each time that you exhale, reach further over to your left side to increase the stretch.

Lying Figure Four Stretch

Stretching the glutes is a great way to help ease lower back pain.

Step 1: Start by lying flat on your back on a yoga mat. Bend your knees and position your feet firmly on the mat, ensuring that they are hip-width apart and your spine is in a neutral position.

Step 2: Release and turn out your right leg so that your ankle is resting on your left leg just above your knee.

Step 3: Draw your left knee in towards your torso, resting both hands on the back of your left thigh. Hold this position for the specified amount of time, breathing deeply throughout.

Step 4: Each time that you exhale, draw your knee further into your chest and press your right elbow into your right knee to increase the stretch, ensuring that your spine remains in a neutral position and your tailbone on the floor.

Hip Flexor (Kneeling Standard)

The hip flexors are often tight form sedentary lifestyles, stretching the hip flexors is a great way to help free up the lower back after prolonged days of sitting.

Step 1: Begin in a kneeling position on a yoga mat. Release your left leg and take one large step forwards so that you are in a low-lunge position, ensuring that your left knee is not further forward than your toes. If it is, then you will need to take a bigger step forward.

Step 2: Keeping your torso upright, push your hips forwards so that you feel a stretch along the front of your right leg.

Step 3: Hold this position for the specified amount of time, breathing deeply throughout.

Each time that you exhale, use your abdominals to tuck your pubic bone towards your belly button to increase the stretch.

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