My dog has gotten to that age where she grunts a bit when she gets up after a long afternoon siesta. Waking up her joints isn’t as quick as it used to be, but she has a routine to get going. Once she’s standing upright, she goes into a deep stretch. Yep, the downward dog yoga pose came from our ever-wise canine companions. Wouldn’t you say it’s about time we start taking their lead?
No, we’re not suggesting you break into a full-on sun salutation sequence (though you can do that in Jenny’s Flow classes on the Jetti app!), but we have another suggestion on how to loosen up stiff joints, as well as back and hip pain caused by sitting too long. And you don’t have to get down on the floor to do them. Whether you’ve been tied to your desk for too many hours, or stuck on the couch binge-watching the latest season of The Great British Baking Show, grab your Jetti Poles and give these three moves a try.
- Breaststroke Variation: This movement targets your shoulders, chest and back—and you don’t even need to squeeze into a swimsuit to do it. Start with your Jetti Poles in the home position and, pressing lightly on the tops of your poles, you’ll sweep your arms out wide in a circular arch, while bending your knees and gently rounding your back. This should feel good across your upper back and down your spine!
- Standing Reverse Lunges: Lunging with your Jetti Poles will loosen up your hip flexors, all while giving you the stability you need to find your balance. Start with your Jetti Poles in the home position and alternate legs stepping back into a lunge. You can also stay on one side and gently repeat the bend. You’ll feel your hip flexors get a nice stretch! The key here is to move slow and steady through the movement to get the full stretch.
- Shoulder Pass Through: You don’t even have to stand up for this exercise, so if you’re stuck on a marathon zoom call, go ahead and grab one (or both!) of your Jetti Poles and give this stretch a try. This move is great for loosening up the chest and shoulders as you bring some movement into your upper body with these gentle pass throughs. Start by gently holding your poles between the grips and moving them slowly up, overhead and back—only go as far as it feels comfortable for you. You’ll instantly feel your chest start to stretch open and it will also help your shoulder mobility.
Click here to see all these moves in action. Feel free to spend as much time as you’d like on each stretch, but focus on at least 30 seconds to get the full effect of the movement.
Move out of the way back and hip pain! Jetti Poles are here for you to do more than just transform your walk into a full-body workout. They’ll also help you ease the pain from too much sitting, and get you back to moving fully and freely!