The After-Workout Stretches Your Body Needs

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This 10-minute stretch routine is designed for you to do after a workout. I often hear from people that they never know what exactly to do after a run or an online workout that just stops without a cooldown. These after-workout stretches are your answer.

The short full-body stretch routine targets the hips, hamstrings, shoulders, and upper back. You can also use it as either a morning or evening yoga class since it focuses on flexibility and full-body relaxation. It’s designed for people who want to lower their heart rate in a slow and stable way and stretch all the muscle groups that you just utilized.

It also includes a fairly longer Savasana so you can actually relax before getting on with your day.

10-Minute Full-Body Stretch for After a Workout

This stretch routine works as a cooldown for any exercise and all experience levels. Stay in each stretch for several breaths. No props are required although you’re welcome to use them. You’ll probably also notice I am not alone. These are my little foster kittens and they are obsessed with my yoga mat.

Child’s Pose

Start in a wide-legged Child’s Pose (Balasana). So bring your big toes together to touch, widen your knees as much as feels good to you, and walk your hands forward as you keep pressing you hips back. Release your forehead and chest toward the ground. Really think of shrugging your shoulder blades down your back so you have lots of space at the back of your neck. Release any tension from your hips and your low back. Take 5 big breaths here in the pose. Take one more big breath in through your nose and exhale out the mouth, letting it go.

Start to walk your hands back toward you and bring your knees closer together. Stay here or, if you want to stretch the bottoms of your feet, come into a toe squat by sitting on your heels with your toes tucked under.

Eagle Arms Shoulder Stretch

Take your arms in front of you, bend them about 90 degrees, and wrap your right arm under your left, bringing the backs of your hands together or trying to bring your palms to touch, as you would in Eagle Pose.

Lower your chin toward your chest as you push your forearms toward one another. Press into your palms as you draw your shoulders down, breathing into your upper back.

Lift your head, release your arms, and then interlace your arms the other way with your left arm underneath your right.

Cat-Cow

Come to your hands and knees, spread your fingertips wide, and inhale as you lower your belly, roll your shoulders back, and lift your gaze in Cow Pose.

Exhale as you round your back, contract your core, and release your neck in Cat Pose. Do 2 more like this.

Tiger Pose

The next time you lower your belly in Cow Pose, lift your right knee and reach your right foot toward the sky in Tiger Pose. Stay here or, to add a thigh stretch, reach back with your left hand and grab your right ankle. You’re pressing your foot away from your hand in order to lift your knee a little higher. Feel your left shoulder pull back. Take another big breath here.

Exhale and release into Cat Pose by rounding your back. Then repeat on your other sideI feel that right shoulder. Release and round into Cat Pose.

Downward-Facing Dog

From hands and knees, walk your hands a little further past your shoulders and lift your hips up and back in Down Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana). Push your hands into the mat and try to get the stretch into your chest and shoulders. You can bend your knees a lot here.

Scorpion Dog

From Down Dog, raise your right leg, bend your right knee, open your hip, and breathe into the stretch.

Low Lunge

Step your right foot in between your hands, lower your back knee to the mat, and keep your fingertips on the mat. Roll your shoulders back and relax as you let gravity pull your hips a little lower and forward to stretch your hip flexors in Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana).

Stay here or add a quad stretch by keeping your left hand on the mat, reaching your right arm back, and reaching for your left heel to pull it toward you. If you are in the twisted variation, carefully release your glutes.

Pyramid Pose

Tuck your back toes, lift your back knee off the mat, and start to straighten your front leg any amount in your Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana). Fold down toward your front shin. Relax your head as you lean forward. Keep pressing back into your back heel.

Downward-Facing Dog

Start to bend your front knee, step back to Downward Dog, and repeat on the other side, starting with Scorpion Dog, Low Lunge, and Pyramid Pose. Return to Downward Dog.

Puppy Pose

Set your knees down on the mat, keep your hips directly over your knees, and walk your hands out in front of you, coming into Puppy Pose (Anahatasana). This is mainly focusing on releasing your chest and shoulders. You can relax your arms so your elbows are grounded or you might feel more comfortable with your arms straight this way. You can also press your hands together, bend your elbows, and bring your thumbs toward the back of your head.

Sphinx Pose

let’s go ahead and straighten the arms, if you had your elbows bent, and shift forward onto your belly. Rest here in Sphinx Pose (Bhujangasana), opening through your chest, roll your shoulders back, push into your pubic bone, thighs, and tops of your feet.

Happy Baby

Lower your chest to the mat and roll over onto your back. Draw your knees to your chest, maybe rocking a little side to side. You might choose to stay here. You can also come into Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana) instead, holding onto your big toes or shins, bending your knees, widening your thighs a little, and stacking your ankles over your knees.

Savasana

We’ll release this pose and come into Savasana, our final resting pose. Take up some space with your arms and your legs, close your eyes. Feel the effects of your practice, giving yourself this opportunity to fully relax. Take at least 10 more breaths here.

When you’re ready, wiggle your fingers and toes and roll your wrists and ankles. Stretch your arms overhead, lengthening everything out. Roll to one side, push your hands into the floor, and slowly lift yourself as you come to take a seat.

Close your eyes, maybe bring your hands together at your chest, release your shoulders, and pause here for a breath. Thank you for doing this 10-minute full-body stretch cooldown with me.