What is included in the complex and why to carry it out
This relaxing session includes several parts:
- Warm-up (concentration on sensations).
- Breath.
- Exercises with a massage ball.
- Dynamic stretch.
- Roller massage.
- Stretching with 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 need for the lesson
You will need a mat, massage roller and ball, as well as 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 up straight, place your feet hip-width apart. Close your eyes. To set yourself up for a class, focus on the following points before starting one by one:
- Tactile sensations. Feel the clothes and the floor or rug under your feet, feel the temperature of the environment and the movement of the air, including your breathing.
- Hearing. Pay attention to the sounds – try to hear everything at once, without dividing or concentrating on one thing.
- Vision. Relax the muscles around your eyes. Do not fix your eyes, perceive light, shadow and colors.
Concentrate on thoughts and feelings – on everything that is happening right now. Spend about five minutes in this state, and then proceed to breathing exercises.
How to do breathing exercises
Devote five minutes to this practice:
- Stand straight, connect your feet, straighten your knees, tilt your pelvis back and stretch your crown to 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 your breath, watch your chest and belly rise.
- Raise your hands up with an inhale, lower them with an exhale and make a full forward bend and hold your breath. Check if there is tension in the body.
- Inhale and exhale in a tilt, and then return to a straight position.
How to do a ball massage
Take a massage or tennis ball and do a few movements.
Foot massage
1. Place the ball under the center of the foot, place the heel on the floor and transfer the weight of the body to the foot. Then release the tension and repeat again. Do a few repetitions, slightly moving the massager under the 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 by moving your lower leg forward and backward. After that, slide the ball under the second finger and repeat. Moving in this way, reach the base of the thumb. Repeat the same with the other leg.
2. Move the ball to the center of the foot, lower the heel to the floor. On the inhale, squeeze your toes as if you want to grab the ball, and on the exhale, straighten them. Repeat three times.
3. Roll the ball under the foot from the heel to the ball and back several times. You can use one ball, a special double massager, or a pair of balls in a grid, 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 foot like the wipers on a car. Repeat three times.
Repeat all exercises for the other leg.
Back, arm and chest massage
1. Place the ball near your spine in the lumbar region, press your back against the wall and gently 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 the back and repeat the same. To increase muscle development, you can press your outstretched arm to yourself on the same side from which you are kneading your back.
3. Move the massager higher – on the muscles of the upper back – and knead them.
4. Turn around to face the wall, press the ball with your chest and stretch your chest muscles, moving up and down, from 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 left, put your left hand on the wall and press the ball. Stretch your right shoulder.
6. Move the ball to the biceps, extend your arm parallel to the floor and knead this area.
7. Turn your back to the wall, lower your hand down and massage the 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 breaths:
1. Stand on the edge of the mat, press your feet to the floor, straighten your back. Inhale as you raise your arms up to the sides, exhale as you lower them back. Repeat three times. On your last breath, lean forward.
2. With an inhale, walk your hands across the floor to the bar.
3. Inhale as you bend your arms and lower yourself into staff pose. Exhale as you lower your chest, belly, and hips to the floor.
4. Inhale into Upward Dog Pose – lift your chest and shoulders off the floor, leaving your pelvis and legs pressed against it.
5. Exhale as you push your pelvis back and come into downward facing dog pose.
6. Inhale lift your right leg up, exhale hold the position.
7. With an inhalation, bring the knee of the raised leg forward, place it on the floor between the hands, coming out into the dove 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 breaths.
8. With an inhalation, lift the body and go to the plank.
9. Repeat the entire sequence from point 4, only now in the dog pose raise the left leg and move it forward into the pigeon pose.
10. At the end, from the bar, go to the child’s pose and relax for 5-6 breaths.
How to massage with a roller
Warm up each muscle group for at least one minute. To begin with, move slowly, moving about 2 cm per second – work this way for 20 seconds or three breaths.
Then work on the most painful points where tension is felt. End 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 the back and roll it from the shoulders down, focusing on the thoracic region.
2. Sit down, place the roller under the left buttock, place the left ankle on the right thigh just above the knee. Knead the gluteal muscle by moving forward and backward.
3. Place the massage roller under the left thigh and work the back side from the pelvis to the knee. Repeat the same with the right leg.
4. Put the roller under your left knee and place your right leg on top to provide more pressure. Stretch the calf muscle from the knee to the ankle, turning 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 outward. Roll the front side of your left thigh, turning the leg out and in. Repeat the same with the right leg.
6. Stand in a side plank position on your left forearm and place the roller under your left thigh. Bend your right leg at the knee and place your foot on the floor in front of your left thigh. Work the side of the 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 gently so that there is no 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 adductors. 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 the heel to the buttock, stretching the front side of the thigh.
7. Return to your back, pull your right knee to your chest, place your right ankle on your left thigh, stretching your glute.
8. Raise both knees to your chest and wrap your arms around them. Hold the pose for a few seconds and then repeat the stretch on the other leg.
After completing the stretch, straighten your legs and proceed to the final point – meditation.
How to do meditation
Lie on your back, spread your legs, turn your hands palms up. Close your eyes and relax completely.
Slide your mind’s eye over the body, starting with the feet and ending with the face. If any muscles tense, relax them.
When you’re done with that, move the focus back to your thoughts. Let them arise, don’t stop them, but don’t get involved either – just watch what’s going on in your head.
You can do this exercise for 5-7 minutes or more if you have no time limit.