These 5 Moves Promise to Relieve Tension in Your Back and Hip—Here’s What Happened When I Tried Them

Building whole body strength this is what I have been focusing on for over 10 years. If I’m not at the gym strength training and doing barbell squats or deadlifts, I discover new Pilates classes or trying functional training programs such as Pvolwe to help develop muscle strength and stability.

Couple this exercise plan with my very sedentary job as a freelance writer, and by the end of the 9-5, I often find my hips and back tight, tight, and sore. To help reverse the effects of prolonged sitting and all of the above, I try to do many of the following: best exercises if you sit all day or weave short and sharp full body stretching sessions.

It’s because research confirms that static stretching is an effective and safe method for improving flexibility and range of motion while improving physical functioning. So, in an attempt to capitalize on these advances, I came across this five-move full-body stretching tutorial from The Stretch Studio and decided to give it a try. After rolling out my yoga mathere’s what I found.

What is a 5-Move Stretch Lesson?

Hip and Lower Back Stretch – YouTube
Hip and Lower Back Stretch - YouTube

A simple workout was put together Stretch studioA YouTube channel designed to help people of all abilities increase flexibility, reduce stress and improve overall well-being through stretching.

This particular workout consists of just five stretches. Moves include:

Cat-cow stretching – This is an effective movement often performed during yogawhich helps stretch and mobilize the hips, spine and lower back, increasing flexibility.
Pigeon pose — Another powerful yoga pose, a deep stretch that will open up your muscles. hip flexors and relieve tension from the lower back.
Bent-over quad stretch – Also known as Reclining pigeon poseThis stretch helps relieve tightness in the hips and buttocks, as well as the unpleasant symptoms of sciatica.
Child’s pose — Even if you’ve never taken a yoga class, you’ve probably tried this beginner’s exercise, which aims to stretch your hips, shoulders and lower back while promoting relaxation.
Supinal rotation – Known as one of the best exercises to strengthen your backThis gentle rotation of the spine helps relieve tension, improve flexibility, and promote relaxation in the back and hips.

During the workout, the trainer explains how to perform each movement. But it is up to you how long you will immerse yourself in these poses. I set a 60-second timer for each pose, which meant this five-move routine lasted just under 10 minutes after I did pigeon pose, a figure-four stretch, and a back twist on both sides.

Here’s what I learned after doing these five mobility moves.

1. Stretching promotes relaxation

The stress-relieving benefits of exercise are well documented. But I never really realized how relaxing stretching can be for the mind and body.

Once I’m stuck in cat-cow pose As I stood on all fours, inhaling deeply, arching my spine and lifting my head, then exhaling, arching my spine and lowering my head, I felt my stress level decrease, my spine lengthen, and my shoulders move a few inches away from my neck.

But I’m not the first to notice these benefits. In one 2019 research paper published in the journal Journal of Perceptual and Motor SkillsThe researchers asked the group to perform a set of stretching exercises. After completing the exercise, participants noted a decrease in tension and anxiety. And depression.

2. One side of your body may be more tense.

This was certainly the case for me. As I practiced stretching, I noticed that I could go deeper and easier into the pose. pigeon pose on my right side compared to my left.

And the same can be said by performing a twist on your back for a minute on each side. When turning to the right, my thoracic spine felt more rigid, but when turning to the left, my spine felt more flexible.

Of course, myofascial imbalance is not uncommon. Especially if you use one side of your body more than the other. But it has highlighted areas that I need to work on further.

3. 10 minutes will not relieve tension in your back and hips forever.

Even though I completed this stretching session in the morning before starting my work day, I still felt the stress-relieving and tension-relieving effects of stretching for several hours after completing the exercise—so these are five stretches that I will definitely return to.

However, as with any form of training or exercise, repetition is key. According to an article published Harvard Medical SchoolHealthy adults should aim to stretch at least two to three times a week to really see results, spending 60 seconds on each exercise. Noted!