If you’re like us, there are days when it feels like you have no time for yourself, let alone time to exercise! With long to-do lists, movement can easily get pushed down the priority list. But carving out even a few minutes to move your body can make all the difference. It helps you feel better, tackle your day with more energy, and show up for the people you love with renewed focus. And the best part? You don’t need to go to the gym to get the benefits.
Whether it’s 10 heart-pumping squat thrusters or two minutes of gentle stretching, these quick and fun moves are perfect for sneaking in a little self-care while you catch up on your must-watch TV.
1. Thread The Needle
This satisfying upper body mobility stretch will open up your shoulders, back, neck, and chest to release tension and tightness built up after a long day or extended time sitting.
How To Do It:
- Start in a table top pose with your spine and neck relaxed in a neutral position.
- With your palms grounded below your shoulders, raise your right hand up above your head, stacked directly above your head and left hand. Hold here for a moment.
- Bring your hand down then scoop your arm under your chest, hand reaching as far as you feel comfortable across your body. Your right shoulder can rest on the ground here.
- Repeat the motion, swinging your right arm slowly back up, reaching to the ceiling. Hold any position in a stretch where it feels good, or repeat the movement a few times before switching sides.
Movement Living Tip: Make sure to keep equal weight in your knees. You can also play around with how you reach―shift your arm forward and out, or below your chest towards your hips. Different positions will stretch out various areas of your shoulders, chest, and back. Don’t forget to move intentionally and activate your core to maintain stability―there’s no bonus points for speed!
Modifications: Place a cushion or blanket below your knees if you feel any discomfort or pain.
Targets: Shoulders, back, neck, and chest.
2. Massage Ball Rolling
A small massage ball can release tight muscle groups and stimulate blood flow to rehydrate tissue. After a long day on your feet, treat yourself to a slow roll-out activation of your feet, from your toes to your soles, all while you catch up with family, watch a show or movie, or wind down at the side of your bed.
How To Do It:
- Seated or standing, place a small ball between your foot and the floor.
- Move your foot back and forth across the ball, feeling for any areas of tension or tightness.
- Explore moving the ball between your toes, finding all the various joints and connection points that keep you balanced, walking, and moving around each day.
- Hold in spots that feel good as long as you like, and always remember to even it out by rolling the other foot too!
Movement Living Tip: Did you know your foot has about 33 joints and 26 bones? Foot health is key to your balance, stability, and full lower body alignment and health. Try this move standing or sitting to test various pressure levels, and hold in any spots that feel extra tight! Use whatever ball you have on hand―tennis, lacrosse, baseball, golf, or trigger point balls all work.
Targets: Feet and lower legs.
3. Upper Body Resistance Band Stretch
This move is a treat for your posture and any stress points that have built up in your upper body. Plus, it activates your core muscles! All you need is a looped or tied resistance band. Start with low weight resistance and move up as you prefer.
How To Do It:
- Seated, standing, or kneeling, place your looped band around your wrists or forearms. Raise your arms out in front of your hips.
- Variation 1. Pull the band apart, rotating your forearms and hands to the outside of your hips. Keep your arms straight, spine tall, and explore the tension and activation you feel.
- Variation 2. With your arms in front of you and the band stretched lightly, extends your arms out with your hands flexed. Feel the stretch between your shoulder blades, playing with the position to feel the stretch. Pulse your arms, play with the height of your arms, stretch your neck side to side, or shrug your shoulders in and out to find spots that feel like a satisfying release.
- Variation 3. Keeping the band around your wrists pulled apart lightly, raise your arms above your head. Then, lower your arms to 90° into a cactus position with your hands raised towards the ceiling. Reach back up, then bring your arms down, extended in their original position. Repeat this up and over motion, feeling the strength and stretch in your arms, back, shoulders, and core. You can also choose to hold various positions that feel good for an extra strength challenge!
Movement Living Tip: Keep your core, arms, and shoulders engaged, and focus on your breathing for extra oomph while you work through these movements. Draw your core muscles and stomach back towards your spine and feel that stable strength as you move.
Modifications: Don’t have a resistance band? Try these stretches intentionally with a sock or towel, feeling for tight spots as you go.
Targets: Shoulders, back, neck, arms, core.
4. Squat Thrusters
This is an explosive strength movement you can do in your living room for a maximum impact in just a couple minutes. Plus, you’ll get your heart rate up and you’ll feel powerful and energized after just a few reps.
How To Do It:
- From standing, lower down into a squat, holding both dumbbells in a loaded position at your shoulders.
- Exhale and stand up with force, allowing the energy to flow from your legs as you extend through your arms. Stand tall with your weights raised up above your head.
- Then, lower the weights down slowly in a press motion back to the loaded position for your next squat. Challenge yourself to a few more reps and see how you feel.
Movement Living Tip: Get the most out of this movement by pushing your head through your arms and fully locking out your elbows in line above your ears. If you don’t have weights, try this move with a few cans of soup, or a light pair of shoes to learn the thruster motion.
Modifications: Make this move yours by extending and pressing just one arm overhead at a time. You can also slow the motion down, moving step by step intentionally through a squat, stand, arm press, and lower. Feeling safe and stable is key!
Targets: Legs, core, shoulders, arms, and back.
5. Static Dead Bug & Toe Taps
This is a relaxing and strengthening move you can do from the comfort of your living room floor or bed, and a simple move to try as you wind down in the evening. It will provide you with a slow and intentional Pilates-style core workout, rather than dreaded crunches that are harder on your back.
How To Do It:
- Start laying on your back, then raise your knees above your hips to 90°. Your feet should be pointed out, shins parallel with the floor.
- Hold in this status dead bug position, engaging your core and bringing your low back in, snug against the ground. Connect to your breath.
- Once you’re stable and secure in the dead bug, lower one foot slowly to the floor, tapping your toes against the ground. Keep your core engaged and back secure against the floor throughout.
- Raise your foot slowly back up to the starting position. Repeat on the other side, moving slowly to challenge your abdominal muscles and core strength.
Movement Living Tip: To engage your core fully, imagine bringing your core muscles down, as tight to the ground as possible. Back and core stability is the key!
Modifications: You can also try this move starting with your feet on the ground, knees raised. Then, bring one leg up until your hips are at a 90° angle and hold. For an added challenge, raise one arm and lower above your head simultaneously with each toe tap. Or, simply hold in the static dead bug.
Targets: Core, hips, upper legs.
6. Foam Rolling
Like the massage ball, the foam roller helps to release tight muscles, hydrate tissues, and increase blood flow across your body. It also feels like a deep massage in the comfort of your own living room. This one requires a little more upper body and core strength to move freely and easily over the roller.
How To Do It:
- Start seated on the ground with a little bit of floor space around you. Place the foam roller under your upper leg, beneath the large hamstring muscle.
- Variation 1. Raise your body off the floor using your arms behind you, then roll your leg up and down the foam roller. You might feel a spicy but good sensation in your muscle as the roller finds those tight spots! Roll back and forth, holding in positions that feel good, for 30 seconds or longer.
- Variation 2. Place the foam roller beneath the main part of your calf muscle. Repeat the rolling motion as long as feels good.
- Variation 3. Still seated, place the roller at hip height, below your pelvis. Position your body slightly to the side, finding the muscular area at the side of your hips to your glute muscles. Use your hands to raise off the floor, and roll slowly back and forth. Play with how far to the side you roll, sitting on the roller to reach your glute muscles, and even crossing one foot onto your knee while you roll.
- Variation 4. Still seated, place the foam roller at your mid to low back. Roll back and forth slowly, making sure to engage your core for support. Do not roll too high into your upper back, just until your mid shoulder blade. Try placing your arms across your chest, reaching your arms to the ceiling, or laying your arms over your head or to the side while you rest in one position on the roller. You can also turn to the side to release any tight areas on your side body.
Movement Living Tip: Always make sure to roll evenly on both sides of your body! Holding in extra-tender positions can also help to lessen the intensity but still provide deep release in sticky areas.
Modifications: If upper body rolling doesn’t feel comfortable or safe for your core strength, try the same rolling motions with the roller placed between you and the wall, holding in various points on your back or rolling in small areas up and down.
Targets: Upper leg, lower leg, hips, glutes, back, shoulders.
Movement Living Tip:
Take an intermission and follow along to this 2-minute couch movement video with trainer Amanda.
