Your Daily Workout: 15-Minute Flexibility Flow

Stretch your body and quiet your mind with this three-part series of movements.

When you think of flexibility exercises, what’s your first reaction? Do you get tense? Do you feel frustrated about the stretches you can’t do?

If that sounds familiar, good news: There’s another, less stressful way to approach flexibility. Even better, there are many ways to make stretches work for your needs.

In this video, the fourth follow-along workout in our Fit for Life Challenge, fitness expert David Jack leads you through a three-part series of movements to stretch your body and quiet your mind. Plus, he’ll walk you through ways you can make the stretches easier (regressions) or harder (progressions).

“The key to this series is to relax,” Jack says. “To not feel like you have to force anything, not feel like you’re in a rush to get anywhere—because you’re not. Just let your body open up.”

The Setup

You’ll want some water, a mat or towel, a pillow (optional), and a yoga block or books (optional).

The Flows

You’ll start with stretches on your back, move to kneeling stretches, and finish with standing stretches. Over the course of the workout, you’ll loosen up your arms, back, hips, and legs. You’ll also work on your breathing.

Make It Work for You

As always, follow any instructions from your doctor, listen to your body, and feel free to tweak moves so they’re comfortable for you. For example, to make stretches easier:

• Use a pillow to support your neck when you’re on your back.
• Use a pillow to protect your knees or a yoga block to help you balance when you’re on your knees.
• Keep your legs still and simply focus on moving your arms when you’re standing up.

To make them harder, you can go deeper into stretches, place your arms or legs higher, or add rotations when appropriate.

Feel pain? Adjust or stop the movement. You can just do the parts of the workout that work for you. “If you want to use the floor flow, the one on your knees, or the one standing, you can break it up into pieces,” Jack says.

And if seated stretches are a better fit, check out the 11-Minute Chair Flow. You can always come back to this workout if and when you’re ready.

Your Daily Workout: Week 1

During the month of January, we’ll share and repeat four follow-along workouts here and on our Facebook page. How you use these workouts is up to you, depending on your goal.

“Follow along as we share for a total-body, movement-based plan,” Jack says. “You’ll get a little bit of everything.” You’ll find:

• Monday: 8-Minute Cardio Flow and Go
• Tuesday: 11-Minute Chair Flow
• Thursday: 30-Minute Strength Circuit
• Saturday: 15-Minute Flexibility Flow

Your Daily Workout: Week 2 and Beyond

After the first week, you can continue to follow along for a total-body plan. Or feel free to repeat or move workouts around to meet your needs.

If your focus is CARDIO:

• Monday: 8-Minute Cardio Flow and Go
• Tuesday: 30-Minute Strength Circuit
• Thursday: 8-Minute Cardio Flow and Go
• Saturday: 11-Minute Chair Flow OR 15-Minute Flexibility Flow

If your focus is STRENGTH:

• Monday: 30-Minute Strength Circuit
• Tuesday: 8-Minute Cardio Flow and Go
• Thursday: 30-Minute Strength Circuit
• Saturday: 11-Minute Chair Flow OR 15-Minute Flexibility Flow

To learn more about the SilverSneakers Fit for Life Challenge, click here. Plus, be sure to connect with us on our Facebook page.

Note: The exercises in this workout may be different or more advanced than those you’ll experience in a SilverSneakers class. Please consult your physician before beginning a physical activity program to make sure it’s safe for you.