_edited.jpg)
Best Standing Warm-Up Stretch For Seniors! Do Daily
- chelsie462
- 16 hours ago
- 8 min read
This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in June of 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/b8tuWH1-sFQ
Brad: All right, Mike and I are going to show you a short, two-minute warmup routine done in standing that's going to focus on tight muscle groups that are very common to older adults.
Mike: Yes, it's going to help loosen up the muscles, break up blood flow, and hopefully, improve your mobility a little bit so you can get your day started on the right foot.
Brad: That's right, we're going to strongly encourage you to do this daily. It's very simple once you get used to it, and it's going to improve your mobility and your ability to get moving.
Mike: Dance?
Brad: Yeah, well, whatever. All right. Oh, that's right, you're doing this
Mike: So everything that's important needs a name, so today, we're going to call this routine the Fantastic Five.
Brad: That's right, because it actually focuses on five different important muscle groups, and it starts from the head and works down to your feet.
Mike: Now, if you need some support for this routine, that's perfectly fine. You can use a Booyah Stik, cane, cupboard, chair, or something to hold onto. Everything is going to run for 15 to 30 seconds each, so you can follow along if you want.
Brad: There you go. First, we're going to take our time to explain it so you know how to do it properly, and once you do that, repeat it a couple of times. It'll all fall into place and become very short. All right, the first one is stretching the neck. We're going to do this for 15 to 30 seconds or about five repetitions. First of all, we're going to do chin tucks, and that's where you bring your chin and simply tuck it in towards your Adam's apple or your throat, so it's not in and down. It's in and back, in and back. If you want to stretch it, gentle pressure on the chin, you'll feel a stretch back here.
Brad: Mike, all about some rotation.
Mike: So when we're in this position, try to do some rotations right to left. You may notice one side is tighter than the other. If one side is tighter, you can take your hand, place it on your chin, and push just a little bit as long as it's comfortable, not causing any pain. Again, 15 to 30 seconds, or you can do 10 to 15 repetitions.
Brad: That's right, make sure your shoulders stay still and don't turn your entire trunk. We want to stretch the neck, not rotate the trunk. Very important.
Brad: Let's go to the second one. Okay, number two, before we get going, I do want to mention, we're going to go through all five of these without instruction right afterwards, so you can follow along and get a feel for how it's really going to go. Number two, again, shoulder posture, so critical, Mike.
Mike: So we're going to do the famous "W," so you're going to make a "W" shape with your arms. Brad is doing against the wall. Once you're here in this position, you can try and bring your arm straight up and then down. Make sure to breathe throughout this. Again, we're going to do 15 to 30 seconds, or you can do 10 reps if you like to do reps.
Brad: Yes, now, you can use the wall only if you want, butt, shoulders, arms up against the wall as you can. If you're really tight, you may not be able to touch the wall. That's okay, the goal over time is to get to that position. All right, let's go to number three. All right, we need to address all the joints and muscles in our hands and fingers, and rest. Mike, go ahead.
Mike: So first, we're just going to do open fist and then close, make a fist. Just gentle, you don't have to squeeze hard and make a hard fist like you're fighting someone. Just do 10 repetitions, 15 to 30 seconds, whatever's comfortable for you.
Brad: Don't forget to roll the wrists and circles a few times in each direction. Oh, that feels good. Yes, and then you could play the piano after that.
Mike: Well, you have to know how to play piano first.
Brad: Well, there are a few that do.
Mike: Number four, we're going to work on the hips and knees at the same time in a standing position. Again, if you need to hold onto something, go ahead. It's simply marching, but focusing on a good knee bend while you're doing it. Go up as high as you comfortably can. If this seems easy for you, Brad is showing you can give a little extra stretch by using your hands, or if you want a little bit more hip motion with it, you can also kind of do a circular motion. I feel some cracking and popping going on right now.
Brad: Now, if balance is an issue, do not do this. Go to the wall, hands against the wall for balance, and then work it. You will not be able to get the extra pull, but that's okay. You can still do the circles. Really use that wall for support. Little lean up against it is always helpful. There we go. If you wanna do a little squat in there for the fun of it, that's up to you. Let's go to number five.
Brad: Number five, down to the ankles and the heels. Go up on your toes as far as you feel comfortable and then rock backwards. Be careful rocking backwards. It's a good way to fall. Put your back against the wall if you feel uncomfortable with that, so the worst that could happen is you hit the wall, and everything is good. Mike's using a stick, or you can use a cane or even a walker. Safety, safety, safety. Use good judgment, be safe.
Brad: All right, so now we're going to do the real-time thing without all the explanation. First of all, chin tucks, two, and I'll count a little bit. Three. We have a timer going, so you know how to do this as far as the good time. Rotate right and left. A little push if you need a little extra. Do not get aggressive. Now, the shoulders!
Mike: We still have 10 seconds left. You are speeding through this.
Brad: That's right. Well, people always say, "Why take your time when you can go fast?" Actually, take your time. Mike is absolutely right. Take your time with it. I'm getting a little nervous in front of a camera.
Mike: We still got 20 seconds of this one because you were early on the other one.
Brad: That's all right. It all works out in a while.
Mike: Now, you can go up and down like we are here, like Brad was doing, kind of a pulling back, retracting motion. We still got 10 seconds on this one.
Brad: I'm going to the next one. I'm not waiting.
Mike: You can't wait!
Brad: That's right. Get going with the day. Open and close those fingers in circles. So you know, these circles really feel good on my wrist, so I'm going to take my time with those, so you can adjust these for your body's needs. There should be no sharp pain with any of these. If there are, skip it and go to the next one. Mike, how about the next one?
Mike: So we're going to march again, so do which one works for you. You can do the straight normal version at a wall, whatever works, and you can also do the circles or extra stretching. That feels kind of good. You almost feel like you're dancing a little bit.
Brad: Well, we could be dancing if we put some music on. Maybe a little Frank Sinatra.
Mike: I didn't say I was good at dancing, but it would be something.
Brad: All right, number five, ankles.
Mike: So we're just going to go up on the toes and back on the heels, and Brad's using a wall and trying to push it over, I think.
Brad: Yep, so you can face the wall or you can go back to the wall, as I mentioned on the first one. Now, we're only coming up on two minutes. You could go through it this fast. If you want to do more, feel free. It is a short stretch, and you can be done. Now, there is a little bonus, if you want, we were talking about dancing before, you can always work the bonus of the Ziggy Zag. This is great for balance and ankle strength, but do it against the wall if you need some balance. This is strictly optional, don't worry about it.
Brad: If it looks like something you don't want to do, forget about it, and naturally, can you do the Charleston knees here?
Mike: I'm not good at that one, no. You can go ahead and do it, though.
Brad: I always have fun doing this. I've done it many times on this, but that's just something for fun. Anyways, let's go on. What else do we have to talk about, Mike?
Mike: Another video that I can't see right now.
Brad: And what is that video, Mike?
Brad: There you go. Enjoy the walk, but do the stretch first, the Incredible Five or the Fantastic Five.
Mike: You don't even remember what you called it.
Brad: It's good either way.
For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways
Bob and Brad’s Products
Pain Management:
Fitness:
Stretching:
Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop
Medical Disclaimer: All information, content, and material on this website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.
Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.
Comments