This article is part of SELF’s third annual Rest Week, an editorial package dedicated to doing less. Taking care of yourself, physically and emotionally, is impossible without genuine downtime. With that in mind, we’ll be publishing articles up until the new year to help you make a habit of taking breaks, chilling out, and slowing down. (And we’re taking our own advice: The SELF staff will be OOO during this time!) We hope to inspire you to take it easy and get some rest, whatever that looks like for you.
As you can see, we’re all for taking intentional time to relax and unwind. But there’s a flipside to vegging out for long durations: It can leave your body feeling tight, achy, and all-around cranky. And that’s not exactly restorative.
So what’s a chill-seeking person to do? We have an idea: A quick stretch sequence that can boost your mobility and loosen up tense areas so you can more comfortably unwind. Created for SELF by registered yoga instructor Tahl Rinsky, a master trainer with Centr, this five-move routine hits on the main muscle groups that can tighten up after lots of time sitting on your butt: your hip flexors, glutes, lower back, and shoulders.
You’ll start with the lunging hip flexor stretch, a standing move that targets your front hip muscles. Then, you’ll get your blood flowing a little with the forward to reverse lunge, an exercise that lengthens your hip flexors some more, along with your hamstrings, while also delivering bonus balance and stability work. Next up is the cat-cow, a dynamic yoga pose that’s great for mobilizing your lower back, which can get cranky after long periods of staying still. Then, you’ll target your upper-body—specifically your shoulders, neck, and upper back—with thread the needle, since those areas can become stiff from inactivity, too. Finally, you’ll finish with figure-four, a classic stretch that can loosen up tight outer hips and glutes.
Doing this routine on the reg can help to “counteract stiffness, improve flexibility, and promote better alignment,” Rinsky tells SELF, which is really key after spending hours on the couch reading, catching up on your fave shows, doing some crafts—whatever your mode of relaxation may be. You may also get a mental boost from this flow, too, since moving your body (in addition to giving yourself downtime!) can be really helpful for managing everyday life stress, Rinsky says. Another perk of this routine: You don’t need a ton of time to knock it out. In fact, the sequence will take you less than five minutes total, making it super easy to slot into your Netflix marathon or bed rotting session.
Of course, if your body is craving more movement, you can repeat it or prolong the amount of time you do each move, Rinksy says. You could also do it several times throughout the day, she adds—for example, once in the morning to set a relaxing tone for your day, once midday to relieve stiff muscles, and once before bed to help you unwind before your head hits the pillow. As Rinsky puts it, there’s “never a bad time to prioritize your health and your body.”
With that ethos, here’s all the info you need for a quick-yet-invigorating stretch sequence to help feel—and rest!—your best.
The Workout
What you need: Just your bodyweight! You may also want a yoga mat for comfort.
Exercises
Lunging Hip Flexor Stretch
Forward to Reverse Lunge
Cat-Cow
Thread the Needle
Figure-Four Stretch
Directions
Do the following moves, holding or performing reps of each for the duration of time listed. You can do them in the order listed, or mix it up if a different sequence feels better for you. “Any order is fine,” Rinsky says.
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