Quick & Easy

Short on time? When a window of time presents itself, it's smart to take advantage of it with short bursts of exercise. But remember, you still need to stretch a little beforehand. Here's a set of 5 quick stretches to get you feeling good and on your way. Remember to warm up first and never stretch to the point of pain. Know your body's limits. Hold each stretch for 10-15 seconds and repeat each twice.

Chest stretch:
Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Raise your arms out to the side, parallel with the ground, and the palms of the hands facing upward. Stretch the arms back, squeezing your shoulder blades together.

Lower-shoulder stretch:
Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Place your right arm, parallel with the ground, across the front of your chest. Bend the left arm up and use the left forearm to ease the right arm closer to your chest. You will feel the stretch in the tricep and shoulder. Repeat with the other arm.

Hamstring stretch:
Standing, put one foot in front of the other, toes pointed up. With hands in the small of your back, bend the opposite knee and hip (not the lower back) until you feel the hamstrings stretch. The upper body comes forward at the hip. Head, neck and back stay in line. Repeat with the other leg.

Quadricep stretch:
Holding a wall or chair for support, bring one foot up behind you. Hold at the ankle or leg (not foot) with the same side hand (or towel if you need to). Keeping your knees together as much as possible, pull your leg gently until you feel a stretch along the front of the thigh. Repeat with the other leg.

Full body stretch:
Lie on the floor, extend arms overhead and keep legs straight. Reach arms and legs in opposite directions, feeling the stretch from the fingers all the way to the toes.