Tip of the week . . .

It’s a simple exercise, but can become difficult for many as they age. Try these stretches before reaching for the floor.

Loosen your back. “Get down on all fours,” then lift your back upwards into the “hump-of-a-camel position.” Count “one,” then lower your back into a cat-like stretch. Do this 10 times.

Loosen your hips. To stretch your glutes and hamstrings, place your heels on a 2x4, then bend forward at your hips and pause for one second with your torso perpendicular to the floor. Do this 10 times.

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Loosen your calves. Put your toes on a 2x4 and bend forward as you did when loosening your hips—again, 10 times—to stretch your Achilles tendons and gastrocnemii, or calf muscles.

Loosen your soles. Most people don’t realize that the toe flexors in their feet affect lower-body flexibility. Try rolling a tennis ball under each bare foot for 60 seconds, and “prepare to be amazed.”

Source: Men’s Health