What is included in the complex and why do it?
This relaxing session includes several parts:
- Warm up (concentrate on sensations).
- Breath.
- Exercises with a massage ball.
- Dynamic stretching.
- Massage on a roller.
- Stretching with a yoga strap.
- Muscle relaxation and meditation.
The combination of all these elements will help relieve muscle tension, completely relax and clear your head of negative thoughts and experiences.
What you will need for the lesson
You will need a mat, a massage roller and ball, and a yoga strap. In this case, you can replace the missing equipment with available items.
For example, instead of a massage ball, take a tennis ball, and use any long textile strip as a yoga belt that will not cut into the body during exercise.
If you don’t have anything suitable at all, you can exclude the points with the roller and balls and do only warm-up, stretching and meditation.
How to warm up
Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart. Close your eyes. To get ready for the lesson, before starting, concentrate on the following points in turn:
- Tactile sensations. Feel the clothing and the floor or rug under your feet, feel the ambient temperature and air movement, including your breathing.
- Hearing. Pay attention to the sounds – try to hear everything at once, without separating or concentrating on one thing.
- Vision. Relax the muscles around your eyes. Don’t fixate your gaze, perceive light, shadow and colors.
Focus your attention on your thoughts and feelings—on everything that is happening right now. Spend about five minutes in this state, and then begin breathing exercises.
How to do breathing exercises
Devote five minutes to this practice:
- Stand up straight, bring your feet together, straighten your knees, tilt your pelvis back and reach the top of your head towards the ceiling. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
- Inhale for 5-6 seconds, then exhale for the same amount of time. Do about 10 cycles. Concentrate on breathing, watch how your chest and stomach rise.
- With an inhalation, raise your arms up, with an exhalation, lower them and bend completely forward and hold your breath. Check to see if there is tension in your body.
- Inhale and exhale while bending over, and then return to the upright position.
How to massage with a ball
Take a massage or tennis ball and perform a few movements.
Foot massage
1. Place the ball under the center of your foot, place your heel on the floor and transfer your body weight to your foot. Then release the tension and repeat again. Do several repetitions, slightly moving the massager under your foot closer to the outer edge of the foot and back.
Then roll the ball under the base of your little toe and transfer your body weight to your foot. You can sway a little, moving your shin back and forth. After this, move the ball under the second finger and repeat. Moving in this way, reach the base of the thumb. Repeat the same on the other leg.
2. Move the ball to the center of the foot, lower the heel to the floor. As you inhale, curl your toes as if you were trying to grab a ball, and as you exhale, straighten them. Repeat three times.
3. Roll the ball under your foot several times from heel to ball and back. You can use one ball, a special double massager, or a couple of balls in a net, as in the video.
4. Place the ball under the base of your thumb. Place your heel on the floor. Roll the ball to the base of your little finger and then back. Move your feet like windshield wipers on a car. Repeat three times.
Repeat all exercises for the other leg.
Back, arm and chest massage
1. Place the ball near the spine in the lower back area, press your back against the wall and smoothly squat and straighten so that the ball moves up and down in a small range. Repeat on both sides.
2. Move the ball to the middle of your back and repeat the same. To increase muscle development, you can press your outstretched arm towards you on the same side on which you are stretching your back.
3. Move the massager higher – to the muscles of the upper back – and knead them.
4. Face the wall, press the ball into your chest and stretch your pectoral muscles, moving up and down, side to side and in a circular motion.
5. Place the ball on your right shoulder and extend your right arm out to the side, parallel to the floor. Turn to the left, place your left hand on the wall and press the ball. Stretch your right shoulder.
6. Move the ball to your biceps, extend your arm parallel to the floor and stretch this area.
7. Turn your back to the wall, lower your arm down and massage your triceps.
8. Perform all movements on the left side – work the chest, shoulder, biceps and triceps in turn.
How to do dynamic stretching
Hold each pose for three breathing cycles:
1. Stand on the edge of the mat, press your feet to the floor, straighten your back. With an inhalation, raise your arms up to the sides, and with an exhalation, lower them back. Repeat three times. On your last exhale, bend forward.
2. Inhale and walk your hands along the floor to the bar.
3. Inhale, bend your arms and lower yourself into staff pose. Exhale and lower your chest, stomach and thighs to the floor.
4. With an inhalation, come into upward-facing dog pose – lift your chest and shoulders off the floor, leaving your pelvis and legs pressed to it.
5. Exhale and push your pelvis back into Downward Facing Dog.
6. As you inhale, lift your right leg up, and as you exhale, hold the position.
7. Inhaling, bring the knee of your raised leg forward, placing it on the floor between your hands, coming into pigeon pose. Make sure your hips are in line. Lower your body forward and rest your head on your folded forearms. Hold the pose for 5-6 breathing cycles.
8. Inhale and lift your body into plank position.
9. Repeat the entire sequence, starting from step 4, only now in dog pose, raise your left leg and move it forward into pigeon pose.
10. At the end, move from plank to child’s pose and relax for 5-6 breathing cycles.
How to massage with a roller
Warm up each muscle group for at least one minute. To start, move slowly, moving about 2 cm per second – work this way for 20 seconds or three breathing cycles.
Then work on the most painful points where tension is felt. Finish with long, slow strokes along the entire length of the muscle.
1. Lie on the mat, bend your knees and place your feet shoulder-width apart, put your hands behind your head. Place the roller under the middle of your back and roll it from your shoulders down, focusing on your chest.
2. Sit down, place the roller under your left buttock, and place your left ankle on your right thigh just above your knee. Stretch your gluteal muscle by moving back and forth.
3. Place the massage roller under your left thigh and work the back side from the pelvis to the knee. Repeat the same with your right leg.
4. Place the roller under your left knee and your right leg on top to provide more pressure. Stretch your calf muscle from your knee to your ankle, rotating it in and out.
5. Roll over onto your stomach and place the roller under your left thigh. Bend your right leg at the knee and turn it outward. Roll out the front of your left thigh, rotating your leg outward and inward. Repeat the same with your right leg.
6. Get into a side plank position on your left forearm and place the roller under your left thigh. Bend your right knee and place your foot on the floor in front of your left thigh. Work the side of your left thigh from the pelvis to the knee. Repeat the same on the other side.
How to stretch
Hold each position for three breaths. Stretch carefully to avoid severe pain.
1. Lie on your back, bend your knees. Hook the strap around your right foot and straighten your leg up. Raise and lower three times.
2. Wrap the strap around the outside of your right leg and grasp it with your left hand. Lower your leg to the right, stretching the adductor muscles. Repeat three times.
3. Straighten your left knee, wrap the strap around the inside of your right leg and grasp the ends with your right hand. Tilt your leg to the left, stretching the abductor muscles. Press both shoulder blades to the floor. Repeat three times.
6. Turn onto your left side, grab your right ankle with your hand and press your heel into your buttock, stretching the front of your thigh.
7. Return to your back, pull your right knee toward your chest, and place your right ankle on your left thigh, stretching your glute.
8. Raise both knees to your chest and hug them with your arms. Hold the pose for a few seconds and then repeat the stretch on the other leg.
After completing the stretch, straighten your legs and move on to the final point – meditation.
How to do meditation
Lie on your back, spread your legs, turn your hands with your palms up. Close your eyes and completely relax.
Slide your mind’s eye over your body, starting with your feet and ending with your face. If any muscles are tense, relax them.
Once you’re done, shift your focus to your thoughts. Let them arise, don’t stop them, but don’t get involved either – just watch what’s happening in your head.
You can do this exercise for 5-7 minutes or more if you are not limited by time.
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