How to Take 5 to Stretch
Recently, I returned from my annual summer girlfriends getaway trip out west! As always, it was full of fun and adventure and therapy for our souls!
I am an early riser, so each morning in our hotel, I would quietly tiptoe out of our room down to the coffee lounge to work for a few hours.
I was amazed at how many other “early riser” travelers there were that would join me! I met a great couple from Rochester, NY. The husband was an attorney and the wife was a yoga enthusiast. We would chat each morning and tell of our day’s activities and share recommendations for each other.
On our last morning, the husband asked me what I was working on and what I did in Nashville. I told him that I am a stretching coach and was writing a blog post for my website.
He perked up with interest and told me that he and his wife had been horseback riding for three hours the day before and he was so sore that he could barely move. He said that his wife, who is an avid yoga student, wasn’t sore at all.
“She keeps telling me that I need to be stretching at least 5 minutes every day, but I never take the time. I should have stretched before and after I rode that horse!” he said.
He began asking me a lot of questions about stretching and then asked me for my business card.
I told him all the great benefits of daily stretching and how easily he could find 5 minutes in his busy day to stretch.
He stopped me mid-sentence and said, “Do you know the name of the song that is playing?”
I didn’t. “It’s ‘Take 5’ by Dave Brubeck,” he said. “That is no accident!”
His wife arrived about that time, and he began telling her about our conversation and that he was going to begin stretching for 5 minutes every day! She seemed skeptical, but I have a feeling that he will stay true to his word!
I truly believe that even just a little bit of stretching every day can be life changing! Stretching can increase blood flow and circulation, open up tight muscle tissue, increase range of motion and flexibility, and reduce stress to joints.
That’s worth 5 minutes, isn’t it?
So take 5 for yourself, and stretch on!
