Not sure how to stretch after your cardio of strength workouts? Need a quick simple daily stretch routine to reduce aches, pains, soreness, injury or stress? A good stretch session can be one of the most enjoyable parts of your fitness routine when you have the right mindset and focus only on the most essential stretches. Get started with this quick 10 min. stretch routine.

Quick Stretch for Beginners (or any level)

The stretches featured in this video are from my new guide Essential Stretch available for download here and you don’t need to be any specific level to benefit greatly from this routine. You also don’t need to be an experienced yogi. All levels from beginner to intermediate to advanced can improve flexbility with this simple stretch routine you can do quickly after workouts. The recover and stress relief benefits are an added bonus!

Stretches, Instructions & Workout Video:

Hold each stretch for 30 seconds each side. You’ll need yoga blocks or a chair or bench for support. I also highly recommend a good warmup up before doing this routine or doing this after your cardio or strength workout so that your body is nice and warm and can stretch more easily.

1. Foot on block calf stretch

2. Hands on yoga blocks hamstring stretch

3. Hands on yoga blocks deep lunge

4. Playful puppy pose

5. Cobra pose repeats (a.k.a. Mackenzie pressup)

6. Reclined butterfly palms to sky

7. Reclined figure 4 variations

8. Reclined crescent pose

9. Reclined lower body twist

10. Hands on blocks playful puppy

#1 Stretch Tip & Tricks

The number one tip to stretching more easily for all the goals from improved flexibility to pain and stress relief, relaxation or improved fitness performance and workout results is to slow down your breathing and be in this moment.

Make a commitment to yourself to stop resisting, stop trying to get up and go do something else, stop looking at your phone or thinking about what you’ll do when you’re done. But if you can’t stop looking at your phone maybe a meditation app or device can help you relax into stretch.

You can also ssk yourself questions about how your body feels, how you can adjust the stretch to make yourself more comfortable, more relaxed, more pliable, more receptive to what your body is telling you it needs. This is the most basic form of biofeedback and there are more high tech forms of it than can help too.

Keep in mind that stretching isn’t like strength training. It’s less about doing and more about surrender to your body’s needs in this moment. BREATHE and take the time to take care of your body.