Relaxing your body before exercising can make a huge difference in your sensation of well-being.
The importance of relaxation
Stress and modern life rush force us to live at a pace that is not ours. It is often hard to get rid of the worries and concerns of our everyday lives.
In these cases, the best thing is to devote five minutes to relax before exercising, so you can fully focus on your body.
Relaxing in 5 minutes
Take off your shoes and get rid of any clothing that prevents you from moving or breathing freely: belt, scarves, tight buttons, etc.
- Lay down on the floor or a bed with your arms outstretched and keeping your stretched legs comfortably apart
- Close your eyes. Feel your body lying on the ground and slowly start taking deep breaths until you are able to breathe in and out slowly and rhythmically
- Now, tighten and relax each and every part of your body starting with your feet
- Lift your feet a few inches off the ground, tense them, keep them in the same position for a few seconds and then relax them and let them fall
- Tighten your facial muscles making funny faces with your nose…tense them…relax them
- Breathe in slowly and while you breathe out feel your body soften and melt down on the floor
- Now, imagine that you are in a boat, feel how the boat sways slowly and listen to the sound of the waves against the hull
- Enjoy the warmth of the sun over your body while the boat continues to go slowly downstream
- At the end of this relaxation sequence, open your eyes and come back slowly to the room
- Rest for a few minutes before standing up calmly
