30 minutes of enjoyable activity to rebuild the body and reboot the mind
Miscellaneous / / January 09, 2022
Perform this complex after a hard workout or a hard day at work.
What is included in the complex and why should it be performed
This relaxing session includes several parts:
- Warm-up (concentration on sensations).
- Breath.
- Massage ball exercises.
- Dynamic stretching.
- Roller massage.
- Stretching with a yoga strap.
- Muscle relaxation and meditation.
The combination of all these elements will help relieve muscle tension, completely relax and clear your head of negative thoughts and experiences.
What you need for the lesson
You will need a mat, massage roller and ball, and a yoga strap. At the same time, you can replace the missing equipment with available items.
For example, instead of a massage ball, take a tennis ball, and as a yoga belt, use any long textile strip that will not cut into the body during exercise.
If you don't have anything suitable at all, you can eliminate the roller and ball items and do only warm-up, stretching and meditation.
How to warm up
Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart. Close your eyes. To tune in to a class, before starting one at a time, focus on the following:
- Tactile sensations. Feel the clothes and the floor or rug under your feet, feel the ambient temperature and air movement, including your breathing.
- Hearing. Pay attention to sounds - try to hear everything at once, without dividing or concentrating on one thing.
- Vision. Relax the muscles around your eyes. Do not fix your gaze, perceive light, shadow and colors.
Concentrate on thoughts and feelings - on everything that is happening right now. Spend in this state for about five minutes, and then start breathing exercises.
How to do breathing exercises
Dedicate five minutes to this practice:
- Stand up straight, put your feet together, straighten your knees, tilt your pelvis back and stretch your crown towards the ceiling. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
- Inhale for 5-6 seconds, then exhale for the same amount of time. Do about 10 rounds. Concentrate on your breathing, watch your chest and abdomen rise.
- With an inhalation, raise your arms up, with an exhale, lower and make a full bend forward and hold your breath. Check if there is tension in the body.
- Inhale and exhale while bent over, and then return to the upright position.
How to do a ball massage
Take a massage or tennis ball and do a few strokes.
Foot massage
1. Place the ball under the center of your foot, place your heel on the floor and transfer your weight to the foot. Then release the tension and repeat again. Do several reps, moving the massager slightly under the foot closer to the outer edge of the foot and back.
Then roll the ball under the base of your little finger and transfer your weight onto your foot. You can wiggle a little by sliding your shin back and forth. Then move the ball under your second finger and repeat. Moving in this way, reach the base of the thumb. Repeat the same for the other leg.
2. Move the ball to the center of your foot, lower your heel to the floor. As you inhale, squeeze your toes as if you want to grab the ball, and as you exhale, straighten them. Repeat three times.
3. Roll the ball under the foot several times from heel to pad and back. You can use one ball, a special double massager, or a couple of balls in a net, as in the video.
4. Place the ball under the base of your thumb. Place your heel on the floor. Roll the ball to the base of the little finger and then back. Move your foot like the windshield wipers on a car. Repeat three times.
Repeat all exercises for the other leg.
Back, arms and chest massage
1. Place the ball next to the spine in the lumbar region, press your back against the wall and gently squat and straighten so that the ball moves up and down in a small range. Repeat on both sides.
2. Move the ball to the middle of your back and repeat the same. To increase muscle development, you can squeeze an outstretched arm towards you on the same side from which you stretch your back.
3. Move the massager higher - on the muscles of the upper back - and knead them.
4. Turn to face the wall, press the ball with your chest and stretch your pectoral muscles, moving up and down, from side to side and in a circular motion.
5. Place the ball on your right shoulder and extend your right arm to the side, parallel to the floor. Turn left, place your left hand on the wall and squeeze the ball. Stretch your right shoulder.
6. Move the ball to the biceps, extend your arm parallel to the floor and knead that area.
7. With your back to the wall, lower your arm down and massage your triceps.
8. Perform all movements on the left side - work out the chest, shoulder, biceps and triceps in turn.
How to do dynamic stretching
Hold each pose for three breaths:
1. Stand on the edge of the rug, press your feet to the floor, and straighten your back. With an inhalation, raise your hands up through the sides, with an exhalation, lower them back. Repeat three times. On the last exhalation, bend forward.
2. Inhale, walk your hands across the floor until planks.
3. As you inhale, bend your arms and lower yourself into staff position. As you exhale, lower your chest, abdomen, and hips to the floor.
4. Inhale into the upward-facing dog position - lift your chest and shoulders off the floor, leaving your pelvis and legs pressed against it.
5. As you exhale, push your pelvis back and enter the Downward Dog Pose.
6. While inhaling, lift your right leg up, while exhaling, hold the position.
7. With an inhalation, bring the knee of the raised leg forward, place it on the floor between your hands, going into the pose of a dove. Make sure your hips are in line. Lower your torso forward and rest your head on folded forearms. Hold the pose for 5-6 breathing cycles.
8. With an inhalation, lift the body and go to the bar.
9. Repeat the entire sequence, starting from point 4, only now, in the dog's pose, raise your left leg and move it forward into the dove's pose.
10. At the end, from the plank, go to baby pose and relax for 5-6 breaths.
How to massage with a roller
Warm up each muscle group for at least one minute. To begin with, move slowly, walking about 2 cm per second - work this way for 20 seconds or three breathing cycles.
Then work on the most painful points where you feel tension. Finish with long, slow movements along the entire length of the muscle.
1. Lie on the mat, bend your knees and place your feet shoulder-width apart, with your hands behind your head. Place the roller under the middle of your back and roll it from the shoulders down, focusing on the chest.
2. Sit down, place the roller under the left buttock, and place the left ankle on the right thigh just above the knee. Stretch the gluteus maximus by moving back and forth.
3. Place the massage roller under your left thigh and work the back side from the pelvis to the knee. Repeat with the right leg.
4. Place the roller under your left knee and place your right on top to provide more pressure. Stretch the calf muscle from the knee to the ankle, twisting it in and out.
5. Roll over onto your stomach and place the roller under your left thigh. Bend your right leg at the knee and turn outward. Roll out the front of your left thigh, turning your leg out and in. Repeat with the right leg.
6. Stand on the side plank on your left forearm and place the roller under your left thigh. Bend your right knee and place your foot on the floor in front of your left thigh. Work the lateral side of the left thigh from the pelvis to the knee. Repeat on the other side.
How to stretch
Hold each position for three breaths. Stretch gently so that no severe pain occurs.
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Hook the strap over your right foot and straighten your leg up. Raise and lower three times.
2. Wrap the strap around the outside of your right leg and grasp it with your left hand. Lower your leg to the right, stretching the adductors. Repeat three times.
3. Straighten your left knee, wrap the strap around the inside of your right leg, and grasp the ends with your right hand. Tilt your leg to the left, stretching the abductor muscles. Press both shoulder blades to the floor. Repeat three times.
6. Roll onto your left side, grasp your right ankle and press your heel against your buttock, stretching the front of your thigh.
7. Return to your back, pull your right knee towards your chest, place your right ankle on your left thigh, stretching your buttock.
8. Raise both knees to your chest and hug them with your arms. Spend a few seconds in the pose, and then repeat the stretch on the other leg.
After completing the stretch, straighten your legs and move on to the final point - meditation.
How to do meditation
Lie on your back, spread your legs, turn your hands, palms up. Close your eyes and relax completely.
Glide your mind's eye over your body, starting with your feet and ending with your face. If any muscles are tense, relax them.
When you're done with that, move your focus back to your thoughts. Let them arise, do not stop, but do not get involved either - just watch what is going on in your head.
You can do this exercise for 5-7 minutes or more if you are not limited in time.
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