Macrobiotic Exercise: Stretching, An Essential Exercise

9 joints exercise with Ms. Riza Regis

Stretching is a vital form of  exercise that we neglect to do, but in some Asian traditions it is a stress buster and a form of relaxation and exercise in itself, you noticed work fatigue could be relieved by simple stretching, we tend to stretch during long flights when we travel, that is a voluntary mechanism of our body to cope up with fatigue and stress.

During my Elementary and High School days, after our usual flag ceremony in the morning we have stretching exercise before the start of the class, but not in College there is no such thing, even after college and working years we forget about stretching and the essence of stretching in our daily life and our health.

In sports, like swimming, badminton, running or jogging, they always teach to do stretching exercise first to lessen the injury from strenuous or intensive exercise or sports routines.

The west should learn exercise from the east, in western way, running, jogging, gym work out, weight lifting are all prone or susceptible to muscle, tendons, ligaments, bones and joints injuries compared to Eastern practices such as Tai-Chi, Qi-Kung and Wushu, I had tried this and I must say that with a few minutes of practicing simple movements, you get all sweat same as you went to the gym for hours, so it is not all about how strenuous our routines are, but doing the right movements.

Below is an example of a Japanese movement/exercise from Macrobiotic teachings by Michio Kushi, hope you find it helpful .

MERIDIAN STRETCHES

In a book by Michio Kushi on Macrobiotic Way, the joy of exercise, he describe and explained some stretches that stimulates our meridian points, it is like having yoga and reflexology at the same time using the stretching, I took a self-made photos to illustrate this form of stretching.

The following exercises routine will take between twenty and forty minutes to perform depending upon your energy level and desire. Its primary emphasis is upon the system of meridians described by modern acupuncture theory. There are fourteen meridians (lines of energy flow) which run up and down the body, extending to both internal organs and external body parts, including the toes, hands, face and scalp. According to Oriental medicine, if the electromagnetic energy flow through the meridians is harmonious and free, the person is healthy. The meridian stretches help re-establish and maintain a balanced energy flow. While performing the routine, imagine clear and unblocked energy flowing through each meridian. Such positive mental focus will enhance the effectiveness of the stretches.

Use the routine once a day, in the morning or evening, or whenever you can find the time. Keep in mind that it is better to do the exercise every other day than it is to miss several days in a row. When exercising, hold each of a positions at their point of extension for one full breath, then revert to the original position, and rest for about thirty seconds before moving onto the next stretching movement. Also, in all of the movements, bend from the waist rather than from your upper back. the point of extension will be different from each person; the distance you can stretch is not nearly so important as performing the exercise with correct form. When you complete the exercise , be sure to pause for the full minute before moving on to the next exercise. in a twenty minute routine, this will cut the actual exercise time to about fifteen minutes-with five minutes of rest to allow your body to prepare for the next exercise.

TRUNK BEND:
This exercise stimulates the lung and large intestine meridians, which run along the outside of the arm and hand.

Standing, with your feet shoulders' width apart, clasp your hands behind your back. Slowly bend forward, raising your arms behind you keeping the hands clasped. Bend from the waist as far forward and as far down possible, extending the hands beyond the line of the head. Take a full breath and slowly return to the original standing position. pause briefly and repeat the movement, a dozen times in all. rest for a minute and move to the next exercise.

ALTERNATE LEG STRETCH:

This exercise stimulates the liver and gall bladder meridians . The liver meridians runs along the inside of the leg to the torso. The gall bladder meridian passes along the leg, over the torso, under the arm from front to back, and over the shoulder, extending up to the temple.

Sit with both legs extended in front of you, opened as widely as possible. reach froward with both arms extended toward your right foot, making sure the knees are locked with the backs of the legs close to or touching the floor, bend the entire trunk of your body from the waist, letting your head drop as you stretch. When you reach the point of extension take a full breath. Slowly return to the original sitting position. Turn and repeat the same movement toward the opposite leg. pause for a breath before repeating. keep alternating until you have stretched in each direction six times. Stand and rest for a minute and move on to the next exercise.

FRONT BODY STRETCH:

This exercise stimulates the stomach meridian and the spleen-pancreas meridian. The stomach meridian runs up the front of the legs, across the torso, ending on the face, and the spleen/pancreas meridian runs up the inside of the leg and over the chest, ending under the arm.

Sit on the floor with your both legs folded to the sides . Slowly and carefully  bend backwards, lowering your shoulders and back to the floor. If this is too difficult, fold your arms behind and underneath for support. With shoulders and back to the floor, extend both arms above the head. In the extended posture take seven full breaths while concentrating on the energy flow through the meridians. return to a standing position and rest for one minute before moving to the next exercise. eventually you will become able to do this stretch without your arms for support .

DOUBLE LEG STRETCH

This exercise stimulates the kidney and bladder meridians. the kidney meridian runs up the back of the leg and around the body, ending on the chest. the bladder meridian runs down the back of the torso and leg.

Sit on the floor with your legs together and extended straight in front of you. bending forward from the waist, reach with your hands towards the toes of both feet. Make sure your knees remain locked and the back of your legs rest against the floor. At the point of extension, take one full breath and slowly return to the original sitting position. pause briefly and repeat until you have performed a dozen stretches. Stand and rest for a minute before going to the next exercise.

OPEN LEG BEND

This exercise stimulates the heart and small intestine meridians. The heart meridian runs up the arm, ending under armpit, and the small intestine meridian runs up the back of the arm, ending on the face.

Sit on the floor with your legs open in front of you, soles of the feet together, and knees wide apart. Holding your toes with both hands, slowly bend forward from the waist, bringing your nose toward the arches of the feet. At the point of extension, take a full breath and return to the original sitting position. pause briefly and repeat until you performed a dozen bends. Stand and rest for a minute before moving to the next exercise.

CROSSOVER BEND

This exercise stimulates the two comprehensive circulatory meridians, which are known as the triple heater (TH) and the governing vessel (GV). The TH runs along the middle of the inside and outside of the arm; the GV passes up and down the front and back of the torso from the groin to the buttocks.

Sit on the floor with your ankles crossed close to the body and knees wide apart. Also cross your arms in front so that the right hand grasp the left knee, and the left hand the right knee. Now bend forward from the waist as far as you can, trying to touch your forehead to the floor in front of you. At the point of extension, take a full breath and return to the original cross-legged sitting position. Pause briefly and repeat until you performed twelve stretches. Stand and rest for a minute before going to the side stretch.

SIDE STRETCH

This exercise stimulates many of the meridians simultaneously.

Starting position

Extension

Twisting

Stand with feet at the width of one and a half shoulders apart, hands extended straight above your head, and thumbs (but not hands) clasped together. bend from the waist to the right side until your trunk and arms are at a ninety-degree angle to the floor. At the point of extension, twist your trunk so that you are now looking towards the ground, keeping thumbs clasped and arms extended outward as far as possible. Hold the position for a full breath. Rotate the trunk again, slowly returning to the original position. Pause and repeat the exercises to the left side, and then alternate right and left sides until you have performed the movement six times on each side.

It is best combine these "stretchings" with walking or the nine joints exercise (an exercise where you move, stretch and flex all the joints in the body)  to complete your exercise routine, follow this simple steps in walking exercises:

Benefits and Joy of Walking 

*all the photos from the author