Summer Stretches from Exercise Expert Adam Rosante

Calibrate Exercise Expert, Adam Rosante, shares three simple, yet effective stretches for your feet and lower back that will help open you up and release some of that tension!

Foot Roll

Rolling a ball in the arch of your foot and heel will help with any foot pain from lots of walking or other types of exercise. This will open all the soft tissue in your feet. When you also include the balls of your feet, you will help unlock your ankles and your knees.

Directions:

• Use a Tune Up Fitness ball (or a tennis ball), put it on the floor and step on it (right in the arch of your foot). 
• Roll back and forth from one side to the other, do this for one minute. 
• Halfway through, switch and roll the ball side to side. 
• After a minute, step on the ball with the ball of your foot and go from left to right for about 30 seconds. 
• Then step on the ball with your heel and roll back and forth. 
• Do the same thing on the other foot for a total of two minutes per foot.

Lower Back Stretch 

This is a great stretch if you have sciatic back pain. It will free up your lower back and hip region where your sciatic nerve runs all the way down through your glutes and to your calf. 

Directions:

• Stand with your feet nice and wide, bend over with straight legs and touch your fingertips on the floor (the width of your feet should be as narrow as you can go while touching the floor). 
• Bend your right knee, while your left leg is straight, and then bend your left knee while your right leg is straight. 
• Do as many reps as is comfortable; over time try to work up to a total of 60 reps. 

Modification:

• Come down on your hands and knees, with your wrists right underneath your shoulders and your knees wider than your hips. Feel free to use a mat under your knees. 
• Walk your right hand over to your left knee and reach your left hand to the sky and then walk your left hand over to your right knee and lift your right hand to the sky. 
• Go back and forth like that for 10-20 reps.

Lower Back Twist

This move will continue to open up your lower back region. You’ll feel the section from your glutes up to your lower back stretch out completely.

Directions: 

• Lie flat on the floor, arms out by your sides, feet flat on the floor, keep your ankles slightly in front of your knees. 
• Drop your knees from side to side. 
• Go back and forth 30 times or as many as feel manageable to you. 
• Bring your knees to one side, extend your bottom leg and tuck your top foot behind your knee. 
• Reach your arm out long and let your gaze fall to your fingertips. Breathe and hold for one minute. 
• Do the same thing on the other side.

Modification:

• Lie flat on your back, legs straight in front of you. 
• Hug your right knee into your chest.
• Then interlace your fingers underneath that right thigh, flex your foot and bring your foot to the sky. 
• Do that for 10 total reps and then do the same thing on the other side.

Check out the demo below:

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