"Stretch with Strength"

Part 1 - Breath When we stretch, what we feel is the stress of the body coming to the surface. Sometimes with stretching exercises it can be a bit uncomfortable , and sometimes it can be excruciating. The trick is how best to let go of the pain/stress, and discover the release in the stretch. First off, it is always important to listen to your body. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being "this is a breeze", 10 being "I'm in agony", stop at a 5. 5 is a good gage for the "edge" or maximum of the stretch. Going beyond that can cause injury, and we all know what a drag that can be!

Second, when you get to your "edge", concentrate on the breath. It will focus the mind and calm the body, allowing the stretch to take effect, thereby releasing stress out of the muscles. Take 5 long full breaths, inhaling fresh air, exhaling all the dead, stale air from deep inside the lungs. After your 5 full breaths, be aware of the change in how the muscle feels and, if you need more time, stay in it and continue the breaths. If you find that you can't hold a position for 5 breaths then ease up on the stretch. Better to hold the position longer , than to stretch before the muscle is ready.