Returning to Movement - Try These 5 Stretches for Beginners
If I told you to touch your toes and hold it for ten seconds, would you be able to do it with ease?
Or would you feel the resistance and the tightness that’s been sitting in your body for too long?
Stretching is one of the most overlooked yet powerful practices for both physical and mental well-being.
Science has shown regular stretching improves circulation, reduces stress hormones, and even enhances brain function by increasing oxygen flow.
Despite what science says, I’ve discovered the beauty of learning to soften, surrender and create space within and for yourself through flow movement of stretching.
What is Fascia?
Under your skin is a complex web of connective tissue that surrounds your muscles, nerves and organs.
This is your fascia, also known as your second skin—- one that holds onto everything from physical tension to even unprocessed emotions.
Your fascia tightens up and develops weak pathways every time you’re stressed, stagnant or emotionally weighed down.
This is why chronic stress often manifests as tight shoulders, a stiff lower back, or a clenched jaw. Notice where you might be holding tighter.
Stretching has the ability to shift your nervous system out of flight mode and into deep relaxation. Your heart rate slows and you learn to breathe slower.
This is why intentional slow movement can feel so calming.
You’re signaling to your body that it’s safe to let go.
Flexibility = Longevity
In cultures that prioritize movement, such as in parts of Asia where tai chi, yoga, and daily stretching routines are common, people remain mobile, strong, and self-sufficient well into old age.
Who else has an 84 year old grandpa that is strong, climbs stairs and does exercises to stay healthy?
Compared to life in typical America, long hours of sitting and living a sedentary life can lead to experiencing stiffness, pain, and a faster decline in mobility.
A study from the Journal of Gerontology found that flexibility training significantly improves balance and muscle coordination, reducing the likelihood of falls and fractures later in life.
The message is clear though—the more we move now, the more freedom we preserve for the future.
Stretches for Beginners
Taking just five minutes of stillness with yourself and from the outside world can drastically improve your quality of life, with consistent practice.
Here are five simple stretches for beginners wanting to ease tension, improve flexibility, and connect with your breath.
1. Forward Fold (Seated or Standing) – Relieves Back & Hamstring Tension
Stand with feet hip-width apart or sit tall and upright with your spine straight, with legs extended in front of you hip-width apart.
Slowly hinge forward from your hips, reaching toward your toes.
Let your head and arms hang heavy. Only go as far as you can comfortably, feel free to sway softly as you feel to loosen out.
Notice the tightness, is it in your hamstrings, calves, lower back?
Breathe deeply and soften into the stretch.
Hold for 20-30 seconds.
Release slowly, returning to the position you started in.
2. Cat-Cow Stretch – Increases Spine Mobility & Eases Tension
Have a yoga mat, bed, or blanket under you to support knees.
Start on all fours with your hands stacked directly under shoulders and your knees under hips.
Take a few breaths here, keep a neutral spine.
Inhale while slowly arching your back, lift your chest, and look up (Cow Pose).
Exhale slowly while rounding your back, tuck your chin, and press through your hands (Cat Pose).
Notice how your core is supported through your inhales and exhales.
Repeat for 5-8 deep breaths, moving with your breath.
3. Butterfly Stretch – Opens Hips & Releases Stored Tension
Sit upright with soles of your feet together, knees falling open.
They might be closer to your crotch or they may be further away, notice where in the hips feels tight.
Hold both your feet and gently press in your knees toward the ground.
Keep your back straight and lean slightly forward for a deeper stretch.
Anchor yourself and engage in the core.
Hold for 20-30 seconds, breathe deeply.
4. Child’s Pose – Calms the Nervous System & Stretches the Spine
Kneel on a supported floor, bring your big toes together and sit back on your heels.
Extend your arms forward and lower your chest to the ground.
Use a yoga block or prop to rest your hands on for more comfort. Your knees might be closer or further apart from each other, sit in what feels best.
Aim for your forehead to rest on the mat and take slow deep breaths.
Sink in with each exhale.
Hold for 30 seconds.
5. Supine Twist – Releases Lower Back Tension & Improves Digestion
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat.
Drop your knees to one side, keeping shoulders grounded.
Extend your arms out in a T-shape and turn your head in the opposite direction.
Hold for 20-30 seconds on each side, breathing deeply.
Stretching as a Self-Connection Practice
Beyond the physical benefits, stretching is an act of deep self-connection.
Being able to slow down, tune in, and feel where your body is holding tension can become your internal superpower, helping you become more present.
If you can’t remember the last time you took yourself into a deep stretch, it might be hard to connect to your breath or notice the areas that crave attention.
The good news is with each second you hold and give deep release to your muscles, the more tolerance you’ll build in improving your fascia and training your mind to release resistance.
In many ways, stretching mirrors life. Learning to soften when things feel tight, to breathe through discomfort, and to create space where things feel stuck isn’t just a practice for your body—it’s a practice for your mind and soul, too.
So, if you’ve been feeling stiff—physically, mentally, or emotionally—consider this your sign to start stretching.