Key Stretches with Carey Yuen, Personal Trainer
OneSpaceTop5: Members of our OneSpace community share their Top 5 helpful tips, pieces of advice, insights about their area of expertise or to introduce themselves and their business! It's a way for us to learn from each other, gain perspective, and grow as a community.
⠀
Along with being a Personal Trainer, Carey is a Group Fitness Instructor, Spin Instructor and a Pre and Postnatal Fitness Specialist. Carey’s focus is on women, and whatever season of their life they are in. Her intrigue in women’s fitness and their overall well-being was ignited when she had her daughter 5 years ago. Becoming a mother has helped Carey understand the changes the body goes through during pregnancy, postpartum, and the years following. Whether her client has had children or not, Carey prides herself on understanding the needs of the female body as it ages. Carey takes a whole-body approach, ensuring that postural imbalances are addressed while building strength, physical confidence, and an overall sense of well-being.
Here are Carey’s Top 5 Key Stretches for targeting the areas most commonly in need of love. These stretches will address hip flexors, chest, upper, mid, and lower back, hamstrings and calves, as well as allow you to take a moment for yourself.
BELLY BREATHING: It sounds simple, but when do you give yourself the time and permission to get in tune with your breathing? I also like to start with this, because it tells your body it’s okay to relax. Find a comfortable position, standing, seated, lying down. Place your hands on your belly or one on your chest and one on your belly. On the inhale, through your nose, send the air down into your belly. Feel your belly expand as you fill with it with air. Your chest should remain as still as possible. On the exhale, through your mouth, feel your core muscles tighten to release the air. With each inhale, breathe in the good and with each exhale, breathe out the bad… whatever that may be for you. Repeat 8 to 10 times.
CAT-COW POSE: This one is great for when your body needs a break, especially if you are starting to feel your lower back. Come down onto all 4’s, with hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. I like to tuck my toes under for a little extra lower back support, but do what feels good for you. Continuing with the pattern of Belly Breathing, you can start to flow with it. On the inhale, tip your tailbone upward, while you drop your belly towards the mat, lifting your chin and chest upwards. (Option to also stay at neutral on the inhale, if the arch doesn’t feel good.) On the exhale, tip your tailbone under, while drawing your belly to your spine, rounding through your back, dropping head and neck downwards. Follow your own breathing pattern, repeat 8 to 10 times.
THE WORLD’S GREATEST STRETCH (slightly modified): This stretch is what it says it is! It’s an awesome, full-body stretch that targets all the areas that need a little extra love, especially these days. Start in downward dog, bent-leg or straight-leg, with your tailbone to the sky. (Option to walk the dog a bit here, lifting one heel while pressing the other into the ground, then switch). On the inhale, lift your right leg high behind you. On the exhale, swing your right foot forward to the outside of your right hand, so your right knee is over top of your right ankle, coming into a runner’s lunge. You may need to skootch (a word, right?) your foot into place if you are less flexible. Feel the stretch through your hip flexor and inner thigh. If it’s more comfortable, place the back knee down. On the next inhale, plant your left hand on the ground and rotate your right hand up to the sky, allowing your gaze to follow your hand. On your exhale, place your right hand back on the ground and return to downward dog. (Option to walk the dog again.) Repeat on the other side. If any of those positions felt especially good, hold them for an extra breath. Repeat 3 to 5 times per side.
UPPER TRAP STRETCH: This one always feels needed. Tension and stress are often carried in our upper trapezius or across the top of our shoulders, so allowing it to release will help prevent knots, spasms or general pain in the area. To begin the stretch, make sure your ears are in line with your shoulders. You may need to tuck your chin a little to do so. Place your left hand behind your back. Gently place your right hand on your head as you tilt your head to the right, bringing your right ear towards your right shoulder. Your right hand is there to guide, not pull on your head. Hold for 2 to 3 Belly Breaths and then switch to stretch your left side. Repeat each side 2 to 3 times.
STANDING CHEST STRETCH: This is a great one to do anytime you walk through a doorway. Before you set up for this stretch, roll your shoulders back so they aren’t shrugging up. Then place your right hand on the wall or doorway and walk past it, turning away from your hand on the wall or doorway. As you rotate open, try to look over your left shoulder, sending your eyes in the direction you want to rotate. Hold for 2 to 3 Belly Breaths and then switch sides. Repeat each side 2 to 3 times. To get into slightly different areas of your chest, play with the placement of your hand, try palm facing the wall or doorway, palm facing up, and palm facing down.
Happy Stretching!
Have a #OneSpaceTop5 you'd like to share with us and the community? Send us a message!