Top Five Pre-Flight Stretches
The holiday season is upon us! This usually means more travel, and more time regressing into the fetal position. Join the cool kids at the airport gate by moving your body through these five high-value anti-sitting stretches. They’ll keep your travel-related aches and pains at bay and minimize the post-travel recovery period. Anyone watching will be thinking, “that’s a good idea”. And if they’re not, who gives a dang?!
Hip Flexor Chair Stretch
The hip flexors become really tight when sitting in chairs for hours on end. Tight hip flexors (specifically the psoas) cause a host of problems such as low back pain and poor walking and running efficiency. Use this to open them up!
Shin flat against the back of the seat
Tuck tailbone under and squeeze same-side glute
Reach same-side hand contralaterally overhead during every exhale
5-10 breaths per side
Rib Cage Extension Stretch
The mid-upper part of the spine (thoracic) and the shoulders love this stretch because it’s the opposite position that a chair forces on it. In the world of movement, anything that feels good for you is good for you. I wish the same could be said for food!
Knees bent as much as required to be able to push your chest down
After holding for a minute or two, start twisting, bending and extending
Inhale: round your back. Exhale: push your chest down
5-10 breaths
Seated Glute Stretch
The ball-and-socket joints of our hips are built for movement so let’s feed them. Maintaining (or improving) hip movement is important for avoiding low back and knee problems.
Place one ankle on the other knee
Point your tail bone up so you maintain a concave arch in the low back
Keeping a proud chest and tall spine reach forward
Hold for a minute or two per side
Chair Hamstring Stretch
Tight hamstrings cause knee instability and inefficient movement. The nerve that innervates the hamstring travels through the glute so it’s a good time to stretch out the hammies after doing the glutes.
Do your best to keep your tailbone up
After holding the stretch for a minute or two, adjust your hand position and reach behind you with every exhale.
Try to keep a tall spine as you do
Supported Deep Squat Stretch
The deep squat is an archetypal human posture — it’s the natural human sitting, pooping and birth-giving position. It’s such an incredibly beneficial posture for a host of reasons including spine decompression, digestive movement, hip and ankle mobility. We modern humans lose the ability to visit this position because of too much chair-time.
Hold onto the chair to prevent falling back
Wiggle various body parts to help your nervous system become accustomed to the position
Head nods, lateral knee movement, ankle rolls, overhead reaches
Strength and honor
Phil McDougall
