5 Stretches To Try While at Your House For Rent in Newport Beach
Have you ever thought about stretching while on vacation? Yoga lovers may have stretching top of mind even on vacation, but for many of us, stretching is an afterthought at best, especially when we’re on vacation where daily routines can fall by the wayside. Still, there are lots of great reasons to stretch while on vacation! Oftentimes, vacation can actually strain our muscles more due to an increase in physical activity, adjusting to a bed that your body may not be used to, and the hours of sitting you often undergo on the way to your vacation rental (either in a car or plane). Luckily, there are some easy stretches you can do from your house for rent in Newport Beach that will help prevent injuries and enhance your relaxation while you enjoy the beach!
Lunging Psoas Stretch
Especially if you’re used to working from home or the office, the psoas muscle (AKA the hip flexor) tends to be contracted for extended periods. Meanwhile, our glutes, core, and quads also naturally atrophy, resulting in weaker muscles surrounding the hip flexor muscles. These factors can easily lead to a sore hip flexor that may be felt as lower back or hip pain. If your psoas muscle is naturally tight, it can be easy to accidentally strain it while doing normal vacation activities, which is why a lunging psoas stretch can be a great way to prevent injury while on vacation.
To stretch your psoas, get in a lunging position with one knee on the floor (preferably on a mat or pillow to protect your knee) and the opposite foot flat on the floor in front of your body. You should feel a light stretch on the side of your body with the knee on the floor, in the front of your hip area. To increase the stretch, stretch your arm towards the ceiling on the same side of the body being stretched. You may also lean forward slightly, but do not extend the stretch to the point of pain.
Seated Glute Stretch
A seated glute stretch is a great way to refresh your tired glute muscles after hours sitting in a lounge chair or plane seat! To perform this stretch, all you need is a flat-seated chair.
While seated, ensure your back is straight, and your knees form 90-degree angles with your feet flat on the floor. Then bring one of your feet up to rest on the opposite quad or knee. You may use your hands to pull your leg into a comfortable position (your ankle or lower calf should be resting on your mid-quad). Once in position, you should feel a light stretch in the glute of the leg that is crossed over your opposite knee. You may increase the stretch by leaning forward over the crossed leg, keeping your back straight as you go.
Ear To Shoulder
If your idea of a great vacation includes throwing a frisbee, playing bocce, building a sandcastle, or carrying a bunch of gear out to the beach, it’s important to care for your neck and shoulder muscles! The ear to shoulder stretch can be a great way to reduce strain in these areas.
This one’s simple: just lower your left ear towards your left shoulder (or your right ear to your right shoulder) as far as it will go without straining or lifting your shoulder. You should feel a light stretch in the neck on the opposite side. You can increase the stretch by gently using one arm to press your head further down, but avoid doing this to the point of pain or strain in the arm or shoulder.
Piriformis Stretch
This is another glute stretch that helps release tension in the piriformis muscle, which is located within the pelvis area, near the psoas. Like the psoas muscle, the piriformis naturally gets contracted when we sit, so it can suffer if you’re used to spending most of the day sitting.
To perform this stretch, lie on your back with your knees up, then place one of your feet on top of the opposite quad, just like you would for the seated glute stretch. Then use your hands or a resistance band (clasped around the front or back of the knee, whichever is more comfortable) to pull that opposite leg toward your chest as far as you can go without pain or strain the back or glutes. You should feel this stretch along the glute and upper hamstring of the crossed leg.
Cat-Cow
Cat-cow is an easy stretch that alleviates tension in your back and chest, making it a great stretch for those who find themselves hunching a lot. It tends to be a gentle option that doesn’t create strain, so it’s a great place to start for those with limited flexibility.
The cat cow stretch oscillates between two positions (“cat” and “cow,” hence the name) which each stretch your chest and back in different ways. To start, get on your hands and knees and arch your back upward so that your shoulders are lower than the crest of your back. Then, whenever you’re ready, arch your back in the opposite direction, bringing the middle of your spine downwards toward the floor so that your shoulders and hips are higher than your mid-back and lift your head up to look toward the ceiling. You can take this one at your own pace, switching between positions as many times as you like.
That’s it for our top stretches while on vacation at our houses for rent in Newport Beach! If you’d like to see any future tips and recommendations from us in the future, make sure you bookmark our blog page for easy access to upcoming posts. Finally, if you don’t want to miss out on special promotions and seasonal updates for our vacation rentals in Newport Beach, CA, follow us on Instagram!
