Nervous System Reset: Calm with Stretching Before Increasing Load
How many times a week are you STRESSED?
Is your body giving you all the warning signs (tight muscles, restricted movement, neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain)?
How often do you address them, or rather just push through?
How is that working out?
I’m curious though:
Did you know that stretching is actually scientifically proven to aid in stress reduction?
A free self-massage, if you will!
A calming of your nervous system as you allow blood and neurons to circulate freely through the body as it should.
A nervous system constantly in a state of fight-or-flight cannot operate optimally over time.
But many of you are living like this everyday somehow.
Do you experience survival mode expending an excessive amount of energy?
The same energy could be allocated to more fruitful productivity, yes?
You could very well be physically and intellectually capable of seizing the day, but mentally overloaded and still miss the mark.
Trying to carry the heavy load of your day when you are not steady is unsustainable and a recipe for disaster, would you agree?
Stabilization of the body is not just about your joints and muscles being intact, but your nervous system’s ability to regulate, coordinate, and execute the right movement patterns.
The best leaders are those who are consistently steady, stable, and poised.
Rooted, grounded; anchored. No matter the circumstances.
You consistently train to respond consistently calm under pressure before the real pressures arise.
In the words of Allen Iverson - “we’re talking about practice man!”
Stretching should, and can be a simple yet pivotal element of your daily regimen, enabling you to conquer the day in the midst of inevitable stressors.
So, let’s get to practice, shall we?
CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK:
Once per day this week, perform the following slow stretches. Move deliberately and breathe through each one - this is not a workout.
Neck + Upper Trap Stretch
Gently tilt your head to one side, hold 20–30 seconds each side.
(Reduces tension stored from stress and screen work.)Chest Opener (Doorway or Hands Behind Back)
Hold 30 seconds.
(Counteracts rounded posture and shallow breathing.)Hip Flexor Stretch (Half-Kneeling or Standing)
Hold 30 seconds each side.
(Signals safety to the nervous system and reduces low-back tension.)Hamstring Stretch (Seated or Standing)
Hold 30 seconds each side.
(Restores posterior-chain length and improves circulation.)
Move slowly. Breathe out longer than you breathe in.
REFLECTION:
After one week, how does your body feel? More relaxed?
Do you feel more capable of enduring the pressures you face daily?
NEXT STEPS:
As you come along this weekly year-long journey, I invite you to a complimentary 90-minute taste at what it looks like to experience a Healthy Culture in your teams, organizations, and homes. Find out more about our Healthy Culture Seminar through this link.
->Want to get clearer, specifically, on your Physical Health?
Contact me via any of these communication mediums , I’m happy to help!
In your corner,
Darien
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