Posture: Single knee to chest stretch

The knee to chest stretch is used to stretch your hip and low back (lumbar spine) muscles. It should also help relieve pressure on spinal nerves by creating more space for those nerves as they exit the spine.

Single Knee to Chest:

1. Lay on your back with your legs straight and arms by your side.
2. Inhale.
3. Exhale, and bring your right knee to your chest.
4. Interlacing your hands, hold behind your right knee, or over your knee.
5. Check that your back is flat on the floor. 
6. Inhale and exhale for a few slow, long breaths.
7. Repeat on your other side.

As you bring your knee towards your chest, inhale and visualize your inner thigh and pelvic floor lengthening. You can imagine your tailbone dropping towards the floor.

Modifications:
If you're not able to reach your knee you can loop a yoga strap or towel behind your thigh. This will allow you to soften into the posture more if you are not straining to hold your leg.

Contraindications:
If the single knee to chest pose hurts your back, bend your opposite knee to eases. For example, bring your right knee to your chest, bend your left knee, and place your left foot on the ground.

This single knee to chest stretch is easy to do at the end of the day, even laying in bed, or first thing when you wake up in the morning. Taking just five-minute can change your whole day for the better.

• It can boost your mood
• It can kickstart your commitment to eat well
• It can increase your likelihood to do more exercise that day

...all while you’re still in bed! 
 

Whatever your exercise studies say that if you wake up in a way that stimulates the body’s blood flow, balances the hormonal system and detoxes you, you’re more likely to continue those healthy habits all day long.