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Stretching and Limbering Exercises

When I was at the Shealy Pain Clinic in Springfield, Missouri in 1984, they were having any of their patients who could, participate in these stretching and limbering exercises, which they had developed based on David Smith's East/West Exercise Book. There are far many more exercises in the Smith book than in this simple, less challenging routine. If you can find a copy of this book, I have tried to coordinate several of them to some of the exercises below.

I have essentially done these exercises more or less faithfully every day since then, and the days that I failed to do them, I was soon sorry. You need to practice these exercises carefully and slowly, listening to your body as you do them. Especially in the beginning, do not push yourself. However, eventually, you will find the right rhythm for you. If you are out of practice with exercising, expect to discover your own weaknesses and other aspects of your health that need attending to. Don't try to do it all youself, but rather align yourself with either a holistically inclined friend or professional who will help you to find your balance and a path towards health.

If there is one thing that has kept me healthy, other than developing a diet that was nutritious for me and building a spiritual and social community, these stretching and limbering exercises are that thing.

Beginning stretch (for waking up your body awareness)

1. Stand with your feet flat on the ground and facing straight ahead, arms at your side, reach as high as you can with your right hand and stretch, then bring your hand down and reach as high as you can with your left hand and stretch. Repeat two more times.

Standing (for your head and neck)

2. Facing straight ahead arms at side, look up as high as you can without straining, then look down as low as you can without straining. Repeat two more times.
3. Facing straight ahead arms at side, bend your head to the right side without straining, then then bend your head to the left side without straining. Repeat two more times.
4. (Head/Neck Roll, 45, 67) Rotate your head 360 degrees to the right, stretching but not straining. Repeat two more times. Then rotate your head 360 degrees to the leftt, stretching but not straining. Repeat two more times.
5. (Modified Slow Twist, 54) Facing straight ahead arms on your hips, look to the right to a point directly behind you (180 degrees), then look to the left at that same point. Repeat two more times.

Standing (for your shoulders)

6. (Shoulder Bounce, 48) Facing straight ahead arms at side, raise your shoulders as high as you can, then lower them. Repeat two more times.
7. Facing straight ahead arms at side, bring your shoulders forward as far as you can, then bring them backwards as far as you can. Repeat two more times.
8. Facing straight ahead arms at side, rotate your shoulders 360 degrees in one direction three times. Then rotate your shoulders in the reverse direction three times.

Standing (rotations for your arms and shoulders)

9. (Arm Circles, 70)Extend your arms straight out to the sides. Make a very small circle with the tips of your fingers, repeating 12 times. Now repeat this but reverse the direction of the circle.
10. With your arms still extended to the sides, raise your hands straight up to the side, fingers pointing to the ceiling. Make 8 very small circles in this position. Now, bending your wrists 180 degrees so that your fingers point to the floor, and with your arms still extended to the sides, Make 8 very small circles in the opposite direction.
11. With your arms extended to the sides, fingers and hands straight out, make six larger circles. Repeat, with six more larger circles in the opposite direction.
12. Now put your arms down and place the palms of each hand on the corresponding thigh. Simultaneously make the largest circles you can, rotating your arms 360 degrees. Basically, you will look like a windmill, with each arm rotating in the opposite direction. Repeat two more times. Now, reverse direction for three more rotations.

Standing facing straight ahead (other stretching exercies for your arms, neck and shoulders)

13. Place the fingers or palm of your left hand under the elbow of your right arm. Push this elbow up and back, stretching as far as you can. Now do this with the right hand under the elbow of your left arm. Repeat the cycle two more times.
14. With your arms at your sides, palms backwards, simultaneously move your left arm back while elevating your right arm in front of you and then straight up, stretching the tips of your fingers as far back as you can. Move your face to the left as you do this. Now reverse the stretch, bringing your right arm down and back as you raise your left arm in front of you and then straight up and stretching back as far as you can. Look to the right while doing this. Repeat this cycle two more times.
15. Face ahead, arms at sides. Raise your arms out to each side, and slowly give yourself an enormous hug by wrapping each arm clear around your body. Rock to the left and right while in this position. Repeat two more times, making sure that you switch which arm is on top of the hug.
16. With your arms at your sides, palms on each thigh, slide your left palm down on your left thigh. Simultaneously raise your right arm out and over your head and point to the left stretching your body over to the left. Look slightlly down and to the left as you do this. Now, repeat this whole thing reversed: slide your right palm down your right thigh. Simultaneously raise your left arm out and over your head and point to the right stretching your body over to the right. Look slightly down and to the right as you do this. Repeat this whole process two more times, left and right.
17. (Trunk Lateral Bend, 49) With your arms at your sides, palms on each thigh, slide BOTH your right and left palm down your left thigh as far as you can while keeping your torso not bent forward. Repeat on your right thigh. Repeat the whole process two more times. Left and right.
18. Face ahead, hands on hips. Rotate your right foot on heel so that it points directly to the right. Transfer your weight so that your body moves over your right toes. (Don't go too far, you are just stretching.) Now bring your body back to straight, and your right toes back to straight. Rotate your left foot on heel so that it points directly to the left. Transfer your weight so that your body moves over your left toes. (Don't go too far, you are just stretching.) Now bring your body back to straight, and your left toes back to straight. Repeat two more times
19. Face ahead, hands on hips. Step forward with your right foot. Transfer your weight so that your body moves over your right toes. (Don't go too far, you are just stretching.) Now bring your body back to straight, and step back. Step forward with your left foot. Transfer your weight so that your body moves over your left toes. (Don't go too far, you are just stretching.) Now bring your body back to straight, and step back. Repeat right and left two more times.

I will find the time soon to include these other exercises.

Sitting on the floor with legs extended

20. Sit on the floor with legs extended and together. With both feet, stretch them away from you, bending at the ankles, and pointing your toes as far in front as you can (but this is stretching, not torture). Now bend both feet at the ankles and point your toes towards your nose. Repeat this cycle twice.
21. Sit on the floor with legs extended and together. With both feet, bending at the ankles, curl them in, so that the soles of your feet are facing each other. Now curl your feet out, so that the soles of your feet are facing away from each other. Repeat this cycle twice.
22. Keep both legs extended out in front of you. Brace yourself with palms on the floor and slightly behind you and to the side. Raise your right leg about 6 inches off the floor, keeping the knee as straight as you can. Now rotate your leg clockwise in a very small circle 12 times. Rotate your leg counterclockwise in a very small circle 12 times. Repeat this cyle two more times. Now repeat the whole process with your left leg.
23. (Forward Stretch, 51) Keep both legs extended out in front of you. Lean slightly forward, bending at your hips and waist, and supporting your weight on your heels and sit-bones. Keep your knees as much on the floor as you can (I still have to raise them quite a bit, even after 25 years of practice.) Try to touch your left toe with the tips of your right fingers. Stretch in this position. Eventually, you will be able to touch your toes, but be careful of straining your lower back. Now try to (or do) touch your right big toe with the tips of your left fingers. Stretch in this position. Repeat this cycle twice more.
24. Maintaining your position sitting on the bones behind your buns, spread your legs as far apart as you can. It may take some effort to balance yourself in this position. Use your hands to brace yourself if needed. Keep this position while counting slowly to 20 or 30. Research shows that it takes a while for connective tissue to relax when it is being stretched. Don't rush this step. Keep at it until you have a sense that your leg tendons have stretched a bit. But remember, this is stretching, not torture.
25. Now, when you feel a bit loosened up, bring your right hand up behind you, over your head and, leaning towards your left big toe, try to touch it with the tips of your fingers. It is alright to put your left hand as a brace somewhere between your right knee and ankle. Stretch in this position, gently. Return to sitting and continue this process by bringing your left hand up behind you, over your head, and trying to touch your right toe. Stretch in this position. Repeat this process, right and left two more times. (Eventually you may be able to touch your toes, or even lean forward almost completely. I still cannot do this with my knees flat on the floor. I must leave them bent quite a bit. I don't think my tendons are ever going to be that loose. I am a very tall person, and my legs account for much of that tallness. Your body may be entirely different. Develop your own appropriate rhythms.)

Exercises for lying on your back

Lie down on your back. (Modified Corpse Pose, 60) This is actually a challenge for me and has been for decades, because I have a natural scoliosis and humped shoulders. On the other hand, the fact that I have persistently done these exercises for lying on your back is almost certainly the reason that I am not seriously handicapped by poor posture.

I usually do these exercises in the morning, and after spending the night in bed, my spine is curved forward quite a bit. I do not lie down all the way, but rather allow my hips and mid back to touch the floor, and then slowly lower my shoulders to the floor. This can take a minute or more. Often, I can hear several vertibrae pop as my back straightens. Eventually then, I place the back of my head on the floor, and try to help my spine adjust as much as is comfortable. The last stage of this process is to slowly put my arms back over my head so that the backs of my hands are flat on the floor. The legs should be straighented out, too, and on the floor. Once you are lying fully straightened out and stretched on the floor, feel your back stretching and adjusting, and gently assist this stretch in whatever appropriate way. Do not rush this first step; the whole process can take several minutes.

26. With your back fully stretched and lying flat on the foor, arms over your head so that the backs of your hands lie flat on the floor (as much as you can manage) raise both arms up, and then raise your shoulders off the floor as far as you can, pointing to and looking at your toes. Return your arms to their position over your head and lying on the floor. Repeat this two more times
27. Raise your arms up so that they are straight and perpendicular to the floor (while you are lying flat), and press your palms together. Bring your pressed-together hands over to the left side and touch the back of your left hand (right hand still pressed to it) to the floor. Keep the lower part of your body from twisting too much; your toes should stiill be pointing to the ceiling, heels on the floor. Now bring your pressed-together palms straight above you, and keeping your arms stretched straight, bring your right hand (left hand still pressed to it) over and touch the floor. Lower body kept straight as possible. Some twisting will occur. Now repeat this two more times.
28. Bring your arms down to each side. Bend both legs so that the knees are pointing straight up. Tilt your pelvis gently forward. Tilt your pelvis gently backward. Repeat twice more.
29. (Pelvic Bounce/Arch-Up, 117) Bend both of your knees and bring both heels comfortably close to your buttocks, possibly out a little from center. Hands should be either at your sides or folded over your mid-section, whichever seems more natural. Raise your hips as far off of the floor as possible, pushing your lower body towards the ceiling. Do this stretch gently but firmly. Return your hips slowly to the floor. Repeat two more times.
30. Bring your arms down to each side. Bend your left leg at the knee so that the knee is pointing straight up. Bring your left heel comfortably close to your buttocks. Now slowly bring your left knee down to touch the side of it on the floor on the left. Keep your right leg down. Rock your still-bent left leg back over to the right as far as possible. Do not, however, take your hips off the floor. Repeat this twice more. Then repeat the whole sequence with your right leg, while your left leg is on the floor.
31. (Modified Leg Swing, 110) Bend your knees, put them together and put both heels comfortably close to your buttocks. Raise your arms straight up towards the ceiling and touch your palms. Now, simultaneously bring your arms over to the left side as far as possible (touching the floor with your left fingerbacks, if you can), WHILE bringing your held-together knees over to the right as far as you can (trying at least to touch the floor with the right side of your right knee). Reverse this position slowly, stretching your arms over to the right side and your knees over to the left side. Repeat this whole stretch two more times.
32. Fold your hands comforably on your mid section and lie flat on the floor, legs outstretched. Bend your left leg at the knee. Raise your right leg up as far as you can without bending your right knee. (If you have any kind of lower disc problem, this could be impossible sometimes or all the time. Remain sensitive to what your body is saying at all times.) Put your right leg back on the floor. Now stretch your left leg back out on the floor, and bend your right leg at the knee. Raise you left leg up as far as you can without bending your left knee. Put your left leg back on the floor. Repeat this right and left leg raising two more times.

More Sitting exercises

33. (Knee Bounce, 44) Sit up. Bring the souls of your feet together in front of you. Clasp your feet with your hands. (This may take a little getting used to.) Now, once your body has adjusted to this position. Bounce your legs up and down (carefully, until you find your speed and degree) 12 times. Repeat twice.
34. Keeping your feet together, stretch your left palm over your head toward the sky. Now put your left arm down and stretch your right palm over your head toward the sky. Repeat twice.
35. Holding your feet with your hands again, stretch your body up as far as you can. Now crunch your body down, bending your back forward. (Be very careful as you learn this. I once hurt my back by doing this too vigorously.) Now repeat the stretch and crunch routine twice more.

Exercises for being on your hands and knees

35. (Cat and Cow) Bring yourself to your hands and knees, body horizontal. Arch your back, head down. Now bow your back downward, head up. Repeat two more times. I also try to rotate a bit forward and backward while I am doing these. First to the front around an imaginary axis through my waist side to side, and then to the back around the same axis.
36. (Mule Kick, 52) Hands and knees on the floor. Bring your right knee up to your chin, bending your leg, and then gently swinging it back, extending it behing you. Repeat twice more. Now put your right knee on the floor. Bring your left knee up to your chin, bending your leg, and then gently swinging it back, extending it behind you. Repeat twice more.
37. Hands and knees on the floor. Bring your right knee out to your right side, and then back to the floor. Now bring your left knee out to your left side, and then back to the floor. Repeat two more times.
38. (Modified Rock Pose 60°, 51 or Scarab, 61) This one is hard; it took me years to do it. From your position on your hands and knees, sit back on your heels, bending forward and stretching your arms and hands out over your head, so that they touch the floor. (I also need to be careful of my back, too.) Push yourself up, using arms and back, raise back up off of your heels, but not completely vertical. Raise your arms back over your head and stretch backward and upward. Now bring your arms down and lower your self flat on the floor, face down, arms extended over your head. Repeat this once more.

Exercises for lying on your stomach

39. (Cobra, 50) Lie flat on the floor on your stomach. Bring your hands up so that they are flat on the floor and about at your shoulders. Push your upper body up as far as you can while allowing your hips to remain on the floor. Repeat twice more.
40. (Half Locust, 74, also see Opposite Arm/Leg Raise, 114) ) Lie flat on the floor on your stomach, hands extended over your head. Raise your left hand up and back so that it is as vertical as you can make it. Return it to over your head, flat on the floor. Repeat with your right hand. Raise your left leg off the floor, lower it. Raise your right leg off the floor, lower it. Repeat two more times.
41. (Locust, 74) Lie flat on the floor on your stomach, hands extended over your head. Raise both your hands and upper body off the floor. Lower them. Raise both your legs off the floor. Lower them. Repeat two more times.
42. Lie flat on the floor on your stomach, hands extended over your head. Raise both arms and both legs off of the floor. Lower them. Repeat twice more.