Exercise of the week

Being the total couch potato I've been lately — and I doubt I'm the only one out there! — I thought it was a good idea to incorporate this into the exercise of the week. Stretching is just as important as exercise, especially as you get older. You see kids watching TV in this pose all the time, and while any kid is probably way more flexible than your average adult, this lower back stretch done on your couch can be a great way to relieve back tension with a bit of cushioning. Plus, there is no need to buy expensive equipment when your furniture is there for you.

COUCH BENDS

» Starting Position: Sit on a couch or comfy chair backwards. Try to scoot your butt as close as you can to the back. You can bring your knees so they are cross-legged, or you can rest your knees on the back of the chair or couch.

» Action: Now place your back on the part you usually sit on and let your head hang down. If it feels comfortable, you can lift your arms overhead and place them on the ground to support more of your weight and give you a deeper stretch. You can also place your head flat on the ground, as shown in the picture.

» Special Instructions: Stay here for as long as you want — five breaths or five minutes — and then slowly lift your torso. Turn your body around so you're sitting normally, and fold your chest over your thighs to release your back and give the blood that collected in your head a chance to slowly return back to the rest of your body (if you stand up too soon, you'll get a major headache).

» Muscles Worked: Back

Do the Cat-Cow

Do you experience back pain in the morning? If so it's most likely because your back is stiffer and more vulnerable first thing in the morning because of increased fluid and increased pressure in the discs. Get things moving by starting off with a light and relaxing yoga-inspired stretch you can even do in bed, called the Cat-Cow. Here's how you do it:

• Start on all fours, bringing the wrists underneath the shoulders and the knees underneath the hips. Think of the spine as a straight line — try visualizing the line extending forward through the crown of the head and backwards through the tail bone.
  
• On an inhale curl the toes under, drop the belly and gaze up toward the ceiling forming a downward arch. Let the movement in the spine start from the tailbone, so that that neck is the last part to move.
  
• On the next exhale release the tops of the feet to the floor, round the spine, drop the head and take the gaze to the navel forming the opposite arch.
• Repeat the Cat-Cow Stretch on each inhale and exhale, matching the movement to your own slow, deep breath. Continue for 10 breaths, moving the whole spine. After your final exhale, come back to a neutral spine.