A significant part of my life revolves around health and fitness. The pursuit of a healthy body and mind is essential to me in my search for happiness. On a daily basis, I aim to complete a set of tasks that I believe assist me in this pursuit and allow me the mental space to experience progress and forward momentum. The majority of my processes and tasks begin in the morning. Though it took some time to get used to, this has now become an integral part of my day and can significantly influence the outcome and success of the day. I wake up at 4:00 AM and begin with 20-25 minutes of stretching, followed by 15-20 minutes of meditation, and then 15 minutes of learning. Depending on the morning, I either read until my family's day begins or head to Jiu-Jitsu. However, lately, I've been delving deeper into and deriving more fulfillment from the stretching element of my routine. It could be attributed to my age, but the deeper I stretch and the more release I'm able to achieve in my spine and muscles, the more invigorated I feel. Although I can't fully explain it, there's a heightened sense of being and a profound connection to my soul. I can't quite pinpoint it yet, but the connection between my body and mind, the progress and growth achieved through my stretching routine, and the gradual yet consistent improvement in my flexibility make me feel incredibly fulfilled and happy with myself. It's a truly wonderful sensation. After a 3-minute pigeon hold on each side, when I sit back up on my knees, I experience a strange mix of being, bliss, and peace – it's truly awesome. Below is my morning stretch routine.
- 10 x cat/cow stretch
- 1-minute child's pose hold - (focus on releasing the shoulders and lower back)
- 10 x garland pose hip release - (focus on the movement of the elbows in an out to release the lower back)
- 5 x garland pose rotations each side- (palm flat on the ground and rotate the opposite arm up towards the sky)
- 10 x standing toe touches.
- 1-minute forward fold toe touch hold
Deep focus on breathing and extended the stretch during each exhale. As per above it takes me between 20-25 minutes. I complete this routine daily and also do a longer static hold routine 3 x 45–60-minute sessions a week.