10 Bodyweight Moves to Enhance Your Active Recovery Routine

If you are active and exercise a lot — which we know our FWTFL’ers do, as they feel like Rockstars who can rule the world after their 36 minutes of cardio or weights is complete 🌟— then another part of your fitness routine has to be ACTIVE RECOVERY. Bodyweight Recovery Moves: While bodyweight recovery workouts promote blood flow, reduce soreness and maintain mobility. These are ten kick butt bodyweight moves to add into your active recovery days.

1. Cat-Cow Stretch

This dynamic exercise helps to improve the flexibility of your spine. Stay in a table-top posture on your hands and knees. Inhale into your backbend, with the chest coming forward and tailbone up towards the ceiling (Cow) Round your back with an exhale, chin in to chest (Cat). Repeat for 1-2 minutes.

2. Child’s Pose

Childs Pose- this yoga pose gently stretches the low back ; it allows you to center your mind and body. Fold forward, rest arms out in front of you (forehead to the mat); sit back on your heels with hands extended fully overhead. Deep breaths and hold for 1-3 minutes

3. Bodyweight Squats

Squat- helps engage the lower body and can help relieve stiffness. Position feet shoulder width, push your hips back and down like landing on a stool, then repeat the movement. Go for 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps.

4. Lunges

Walking or stationary lungesStretch your hips and opposite leg as you bend.credit: fsHH/iStock/Getty Images Take a step forward with one leg, lower your back knee to the ground keeping it in line over you front ankle. Complete 10-15 reps per leg, taking turns.

5. Glute Bridges

This exercise works your glutes and hams, taking pressure off the lower back. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Lift your hips up by pressing through the heels and then lower back down with control. Complete 2-3 sets of 10-15.

6. Plank

This move enhances the muscles around our spine and tightens all parts of it also. Align your body in a straight horizontal line with elbows under shoulders. Hold in Not discriminatory status for 20–60 seconds concentrating on relaxing breathing, keeping still and maintaining your arms Up.

7. Side Leg Raises

This also works the hip abductors. Lie on your side, legs straight. Single-leg Hamstring Hold — Hover one leg towards the sky and slowly lower it down, lift back up again. Do 10-15 reps per side.

8. Arm Circles

Shoulder and Arm Circle with Engaged Arms. Whether you are standing or sitting, take your arms to the side and small circles both forward (30 seconds) then backward( 30seconds).

9. Seated Forward Bend

This stretch increases flexibility in your hamstrings and lower back. Sit on the floor with legs straight out in front of you, reach forward to touch your toes while bending at your waist and keeping back flat. Hold for 1-2 minutes.

10. Dynamic Hip Flexor Stretch

One foot forward and kneeled with the other at a 90 degree angle. Use your core to gently move the hips forward to stretch out that hip flexor. Or change it: 30 seconds on the one leg.

Adding these exercises to your active recovery can help bring back normalcy to within the body whilst also aiding in very good well being. For maximum benefits and to work alongside your training, try including these exercises 2-3 times a week.