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If you have 12 minutes to spare, you’ve got plenty of time to do this 10-minute activity routine, which should make you feel 10 years younger, according to one trainer.
To do this, all you need to do is pick up an exercise mat and read on – no additional equipment required. Created by Yoga with Katherine, this short class is designed to open up your body, mobilize your joints, and relieve tension. Unlike many yoga-inspired moving routines I’ve seen, this one has a timer and runs without speaking, almost like a workout so you need access to the screen to do it.
Get ready to unlock your limbs in just 10 minutes with the full-body moves below.
Watch: Katherine’s 10-Minute Activity Routine
Although the time is short, the coaching content is rich. This means you can work most parts of your body, including your glutes, hamstrings, adductors (inner thighs), spine, upper back, and lower back. After use, you will definitely feel the mat is higher, more open and less stiff.
The debate continues about stretching versus mobility and which is better for you. While stretching has some benefits for flexibility, flexibility exercises combine strength, control, and movement to increase the range of motion of your joints, which has been shown to reduce injuries and better prepare the body for movement.
After all, how fast can you run with stiff hips or tight hamstrings?
After all, how fast can you run with stiff hips or tight hamstrings?
However, the combination of muscle flexibility and joint range of motion will help you maintain function as you age, allowing you to continue daily activities with less pain and restrictions. This routine focuses primarily on controlled and active movement, so don’t expect a lot of deep release or opening like a yin yoga class or stretching class.
That is, you’ll complete an exercise that Catherine calls “posterior chain nerve release,” which she says is “uncomfortable but effective.” To do this, sit with your legs straight in front of you, then release and hold your chest toward your thighs. Most people experience a deep stretch in their mid-to-upper back, which occurs when you allow your spine to curve instead of keeping it straight.
This breathing can be quite intense, so try to continue breathing as deeply and broadly as possible without restricting it to your chest. I find it helpful to press your chin against your chest, as if you were trying to crush an egg; this should allow you to stretch the muscles around your spine, including the back of your neck, known as your cervical spine.
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