Obviously exercise is part of advancement, but exercise is individual. The best way I found to begin to get into shape is to do slow stretching. I've compiled a list of stretching exercises that adds up to some 30 or more distinctly different stretches for all parts of the body. Too many people start exercising with weights and so forth and can't perform a simple stretch. They wear their bodies down to the point of pain and exhaustion and give up for no other reason, usually artificially driven by some mirror posing fool. Communication as a spirit, and communication as a spirit with the body are obviously related. Communication with the body means awareness of the physical nature of it and the state it is in. A person could simply touch different parts of their body repeatedly with intention and become more physically fit. With slow stretching, you can gradually get into communication with those problem areas that you are not at all in communication with, such as your abdomen, back and other areas in close proximity to the spine. For example: 1. Turn And Bounce – Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, arms sideward at shoulder level, palms up. Turn sharply to the left as far as possible, then recover slightly. Turn farther left and recover again. Repeat and return to the starting position. Turn sharply to the right as far as possible and recover slightly. Repeat twice and return to the starting position. Throughout the exercise, keep your head and hips to the front of your knees and your elbows locked. 2. Turn And Bend – Stand with your feet spread more than shoulder-width apart and arms overhead. Turn your trunk to the left and bend forward toward your left thigh, trying to touch your fingertips to the floor, outside your left foot. Keep your left knee straight. Return to starting position. Turn to the right and bend forward over your right thigh, trying to touch your hands to the ground outside your right foot. Keep your right knee straight. Repeat, trying to touch further and further to your side.
3. Side Bender – Stand with your feet more than shoulder width apart, arms raised sideward and overhead. Bend to the left as far as possible, recover slightly. Bend as far to the left as possible again. Return to the starting position. Keep your elbows and knees locked throughout the exercise. Bend only to the side, not to the front.
4. Trunk Twist For Upper Back And Side Torso Muscles – Stand upright with your feet spaced comfortably apart and you arms extended to the sides at shoulder level. Turn your body to the left. Repeat, turning your body to the right. Avoid raising your heels or bending your knees. Keep your arms parallel to the floor. Use slow movements and your full range of motion.
5. Trunk Circle For Lower Back, Hip And Abdominal Muscles – Bend forward at your waist with your feet comfortably spaced and your hands on your hips. Swing your body to the right, back, left, and front, in a continuous circling motion. Repeat by circling in the opposite direction. Move only your upper body. Avoid raising your heels or bending your knees.
6. Trunk Twister – Stand with your feet spread more than shoulder width apart, fingers laced behind your neck, thumbs pointing downward, elbows back. Keeping your knees locked and back straight, bend forward at the waist sharply and recover slightly. Twist your trunk to the left vigorously, keeping your elbows back. The left elbow should be higher than the right. Twist vigorously to the right, so your left elbow moves under your right. Straighten up and return to the starting position.
7. Shoulder Stretch – Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your palms together in front of your hips. Raise your arms up and back, keeping palms up. Hold and return to starting position.
8. Shoulder Circles For Chest, Upper Back, And Shoulder Muscles – Stand upright with your feet slightly apart. Put your left hand on your hip and your right hand at your side. Slowly rotate your right arm at the shoulder in a forward, upward, rearward, downward, circular motion. Move only the circling arm. Try not to rotate your trunk from side to side. 9. Hamstring Stretch For Hamstrings And Lower Back – Stand with one leg crossed in front of the other and with your feet side by side. Your front leg will hold your rear leg back and straight. Slowly bend over and attempt to place your hands on the floor.
10. Ankle Pull For Hamstrings – Stand with your feet together. Bend over, grasp the back of your ankles, and pull until your head approaches your knees.
11. Thigh Stretch For Quadriceps In Thighs – Lean against a chair for balance. Bend forward and raise one foot up and back. Bend your knee and grasp your ankle with your hand. Pull gently until you feel the stretch.
12. Leaning Stretch For Archilles Tendon In Legs – Stand three feet from the wall, chair, or pole, with your feet slightly apart. Put both hands on the wall, chair or pole. With your heels on the ground, lean forward slowly and feel the stretch in your calves.
13. Calf Stretch – Stand with your left foot two to three feet in front of your right foot, toes pointing forward. Your right heel should be several inches off the floor. Slowly press your right heel to the floor. If more stretch is needed, slowly bend your left knee. Return to starting position.
14. Knees To Shoulders Stretch – Lie on your back, bend your knees and place your hands across the tops of your knees. Keeping your back flat for the duration of the stretch, gently pull your knees toward your shoulders and hold for 10-seconds. Return to the start position and repeat. This exercise emphasizes the muscles in your lower back.
15. Single Knee To Chest – Lie on your back, with your legs straight. Your head and the leg being stretched should stay flat on the floor. Bend your right leg and bring it up to your chest. Grab the leg behind your knee and pull it toward your chest. Flex your left foot and toes toward the knee.
16. Abdominal Arch – Lie face down with your arms pointing forward, fully extended. Keeping your legs and palms flat on the floor or mat, slowly raise your body off the floor. Hold for 10-seconds, return to the start position and repeat. This exercise emphasizes the abdominal and oblique muscles.
17. Back extension – Lie on your stomach with your arms behind your neck, elbows bent and fingers intertwined. Lift your shoulders and chest off the floor. Slowly return to the starting position. This is not a crunch – it’s only designed to prepare you to do the back crunch. 18. Trunk Stretch For Front Trunk Muscles – Lie flat on your stomach with your feet slightly apart, hands in the push up position, beside your shoulders, arms bent, and thighs flat against the floor. Slowly straighten your arms, keeping your legs and pelvis on the floor. The farther back your hands are placed from your shoulders, the greater the back extension and trunk stretch. Keep your head up throughout the stretch. Stop if you feel pain in your legs.
19. Upper Back Stretch For Upper Back Muscles – Lie flat on your back with your arms at your sides and your palms against the floor. Breathing out, slowly raise your legs upward and overhead. Try to first touch your toes and then your knees to the floor. Your hands should remain on the floor in the starting position.
20. Lower Back Stretch For Lower Back Muscles – Lie flat on your back with your hands at your sides and your feet together. Breathing out, slowly draw both knees up toward your chest. Grasp your thighs and slowly draw your knees into a tuck position by pulling your legs up toward your chin. Concentrate on keeping your lower back muscles flat against the floor during the stretch.
21. Seated Lower Back Stretch For Lower Back Muscles – Sit in a chair with you feet about 24 inches apart. Clasp both hands behind your head. Slowly bend forward, with your arms shoulders and elbows between your knees. Attempt to touch your elbows to the floor. Do not bounce. Stretch until you feel the pull in your lower back.
22. Long Sit – Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front and flat on the floor. Grasp behind the middle of your thighs and slowly pull down, bending your head slowly toward your hands. Then grasp behind the middle of your knees and slowly pull down, bending your head toward your hands. Finally, grasp your ankles and slowly pull down bending your head toward your hands. 23. Foot Pull For Groin And Thighs – Pull on your feet while pressing your legs down with your elbows. Lean forward, trying to touch your head to the floor.
24. Advanced Toe Stretch For Back And Legs – Keep your toes pointed, and spread your legs apart. Slowly reach for your toes, pulling your head down close to your legs until you feel the stretch, then relax.
25. Groin Stretch – Stand with your feet as wide apart as possible. Bend forward as deeply as you can, touching your hands to the floor in front of you.
26. Back Crunch – Lie face down and place your hands behind your head. Raise your torso until your chest is three or four inches off the ground. Return slowly to the start position and repeat. In order to make the exercise more challenging, try twisting your trunk slightly as you raise it. This exercise emphasizes the lower back muscles.
27. 69’ers – Kneel on all fours and place your hands below your shoulders and your knees below your hips and your torso parallel to the floor. Lift your left hand and right knee just high enough off the floor so a magazine would fit underneath them. Without allowing your pelvis to shift toward the supported side, hold that position for 10-seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat using the opposite hand and knee. This exercise emphasizes the muscles in your lower back.
28. Reverse Crunch – Lie on your back with your hips and knees both bent 90 degrees, so that your calves are parallel to the floor and your feet float freely. Place your hands behind your head, tuck your chin toward your chest, and raise your shoulders slightly off the floor or mat. Roll your pelvis toward your ribcage to bring your knees over your chest. Return to the start position and repeat. This exercise emphasizes the lower abdominal muscles.
29. Cross-legged Oblique Crunch – Lie on your back and place your hands behind your head. Keeping your right foot on the ground, bend your knee to a 90-degree angle. Cross your left ankle over your bent right leg. Without pulling on your head or neck, raise your shoulders off the floor and twist your right elbow toward your left knee. Hold for at least one second and return to the start position. After completing the desired number of reps, reverse your leg positions and complete and identical number of reps leading with our left elbow. This exercise emphasizes your oblique muscles.
30. Toes-To-Ceiling Crunch – Lie on your back with your arms at your side and lift your legs so that they’re perpendicular to the floor, feet pointing toward the ceiling. Reach for your feet, lifting your torso off the floor or mat in a crunching movement. Return to the start position and repeat. This exercise emphasizes your upper abdominal muscles.
