Stretching our bodies
Physical Education · Early Years · The School
Reaching up high
Stand tall. Reach both arms straight up, as high as you can. Hold it for five seconds. This stretches your arms and your sides. Feel where the stretch happens as you hold it, and let go slowly, not all at once.
Touching your toes
Stand with feet apart. Bend forward gently. Reach towards your toes, only as far as feels comfortable. This stretches the backs of your legs. Do not bounce — just hold it still and calm, breathing gently the whole time.
Twisting gently
Stand still. Turn your top half slowly to one side, then the other. Keep your feet facing forward the whole time. This stretches your middle and your back, a part the first two stretches do not reach at all.
Before running, which stretch matters most? Reaching for your toes, for your legs. Before throwing a ball, which stretch matters most? Reaching up high, for your arms. Before twisting to look behind you, which stretch matters most? The gentle twist, for your middle and back. Three stretches, three different parts, three different jobs. Picking the right one for what you are about to do is just as important as doing a stretch at all, every single time.