A 56-year-old has revealed four “amazing” stretches that could keep your joints flexible and muscles toned. Niki Wibrow, known on TikTok for helping women to get fit and feel great during menopause, shared that she wishes she’d known sooner how important training your mobility is.
The woman, whose body could be easily mistaken for that of a 30-year-old, recommended the following simple exercises.
1. Puppy pose to cat pose
The fitness expert explained that this stretch helps to open your chest, upper back and shoulders.
You start in a Puppy Pose, which is a cross between Child’s Pose and Downward Facing Dog. The 56-year-old demonstrates the movement, starting on all fours, with her head close to the matt and arms stretched in front of her. Her bum is perched high, facing up.
From here, she moves to the Cat Pose, which involves lifting your lower back until it’s curved. Then, you can return back to the Puppy Pose and keep stretching.
2. Hip circles
The 56-year-old shared that this stretch will help mobilise your hips and lower back.
For this movement, you need to keep your hands shoulder-width apart and your knees directly below your hips. Then, you use your pelvis and lower back to draw circles in the air.
3. Leg extensions
This mobility stretch will help strengthen your knees and thighs, according to the expert.
The fitness trainer demonstrated the exercise by sitting down on the floor, while keeping her back straight. One of her legs was stretched long while the other was close to her chest.
She would then lift the stretched leg up and down while keeping the sole of her foot straight.
4. Cradling to sweeps
The last movement in this set is designed to mobilise your hips and knees.
The starting pose for this exercise is the same as with leg extensions. But this time you grab the leg closer to your chest underneath your knee with one hand, while using the other hand to hold your foot. Then, you stretch your leg left and right while holding onto it.
In the second part of this stretch, you let go of your foot and move your other hand underneath your knee, while moving your calf up and down.
