Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1208028
Piriformis Opener Face the table as you lift one leg up and place your leg with a 90-degree angle bend in your knee on the table (Image 5). If your outer leg isn't completely on the table, you may want to place a blanket or bolster under it for more support. Dorsiflex your foot to protect your knee, and cease this stretch if you feel any pain in your knee. Stand tall, lean backward, or drape your upper body over your thigh to feel your Goldilocks hip stretch (Image 6). As you rest here, feel yourself soften and melt into the sensations of your stretch. After you unwind the leg off the table, walk it out for a couple steps and repeat on your other leg. This stretch is especially beneficial for the deep six hip rotators (think piriformis and pseudo sciatica projects) and the iliotibial band, and can also assist in releasing unnecessary tension from your sacroiliac joints. Hamstring Relaxer Face the table as you lift one leg onto the table, resting your foot and calf on the table, and choose to maintain a straight leg or slightly bent knee (Image 7). Lengthen your spine as SAV V Y SELF-CARE Ta k e 5 a n d t r y A B M P F i v e - M i n u t e M u s c l e s a t w w w. a b m p . c o m / f i v e - m i n u t e - m u s c l e s . 23 you breathe in, then start to reach your belly toward your upper thigh, reach the chest toward your knee, and then finally let your head reach toward the toes. This practice will help unlock the often-stubborn hamstrings and, in fact, help release the entire posterior kinetic chain—from the soles of your feet to the top of your scalp. SELF-CARE BEYOND THE COMFORT ZONE Whenever we intentionally change our routine, we stretch beyond the habits of our mind and body and activate the multifaceted possibilities of our inner resourcefulness. Your actions become an invitation for new possibilities and a new awareness of yourself. As we experience and practice something new, our body-mind is then liberated to become a container of feel-good hormones that transcend old habits of criticism, stress, or suffering. Stretching beyond what's already known literally and figuratively breaks the chains of the past and introduces new territory for our mind and body to play and explore. As you stretch into new spaces, consider making your practice so ridiculously easy and irresistible that you can't help but be drawn to practicing it everyday. Every time you invest in self-care, you demonstrate to yourself, others, and the world that you matter. And in this way, you become an invitation for others to do the same. Heath and Nicole Reed are co-founders of Living Metta (living "loving kindness") and want everyone in the world to enjoy the experience of befriending their body. The Reeds lead mindful workshops and retreats across the country and overseas, including Thailand and France, and have been team-teaching touch and movement therapy for 17 years. In addition to live classes, the Reeds offer massage therapy and self-care videos, DVDs, and online trainings, which may be found at www.livingmetta.com. 5 6 7