Let’s be honest, how much effort do you put into cooling down and stretching off after you work out? Personally, it’s often little to none for me. I’m always in a rush and heading off to my next appointment or at least I tell myself that.
Leading collagen brand Vital Proteins have enlisted their brand ambassador Mark Wright to create a quick and easy cool down that you can do anywhere, even in the shower.
“I always make sure I include Vital Proteins as part of my wellness routine, as it’s a good source of collagen and this is great for providing my muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments with strength and structure, helping me to stay strong and make sure my muscles are recovering after a workout.”
The Cool Down
Wellness is all about doing what you can when you can to let your body recover. So, when you get in the shower, these are five super simple stretches that are perfect for a tight space.
Working your way down your body, hold each stretch for 10 – 15 seconds.
- Neck: Gently tilt your head from one side to the other. You should feel it all the way down the side you’re stretching.
- Shoulders: One arm across your body, grab your elbow and pull it back, you’ll feel it all the way down the triceps. Repeat on the other side.
- Quads: Hold your foot in your hand on the same side, pulling your foot back towards your bum. You should feel the stretch all the way down the front of your thigh (your quads). If you can’t balance, hold on to the shower door or balance on the shower wall.
- Hamstrings: Leaning over from the hips, keeping your bum out so that you don’t strain your back.
- Calves: Working our way further down the body, we are going to stretch our calves and our Achilles. Bending at the knee, putting one leg back, keeping both feet on the floor and pointing forward, you’re just going to lean and put your weight on your back leg. Switch sides.
- Bonus tip, finish with a cold blast: Always stretch under warm water, as your muscles are warm and you don’t want to shock them, but once you’re done, if you want to flip the shower to cold for 30 seconds, it’s great for promoting healthy skin, athletic recovery and increasing your energy.
