A really good stretch can provide some relief for stiff muscles. Regular stretching keeps your muscles flexible and healthy, too, which could prevent aches and pains in the long term.
To get the most out of your stretching, yoga instructor Emily Mouu has shared some ways to upgrade seven classic yoga movements.
The stretches in this routine include downward dog, child's pose, forward fold and cat/cow. Mouu adds a variation to each of these, making them a little juicer and allowing you to get a deeper, more satisfying stretch.
How to do Emily Mouu's yoga stretch upgrades
Mouu demonstrates each of the stretches in her Instagram Reel above. Move through the stretches a few times on each side of the body until your muscles start to relax.
Benefits of this routine
All of the stretches in this routine are great to begin with, but Mouu's additions will help you mobilize multiple parts of the body at once.
For example, she adds a twist to her downward dog, which involves touching your opposite ankle with your hand while in the downward dog position. This means you get the standard stretch through the shoulders and hamstrings, but also introduces a satisfying spinal rotation along with a strech in your obliques (the muscles down the side of the stomach).
Multi-muscle stretches like the ones in Mouu's routine are ideal if you want to increase your mobility and become more flexible but don't have much time.
Plus, the additions to these moves mean that they're all dynamic stretches, which are stretches you move in and out of. Dynamic stretching is great for improving mobility in the joints. This means you'll be extending your range of motion, while also strengthening the joints and muscles.
Want more stretching routines like this one? Try doing these yoga beginner stretches to help you stay limber.
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