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A Quick Guide For Tackling That Necessary 5 Min Daily Body Stretch

6th July 2021

Fitness Health

6th July 2021

By Shivraj Bassi

Look. We get it. Life is super busy.ย 

What with commuting, working, relationships, family, your social life and everything in between - we know that fitting in time to exercise can sometimes feel a little bit impossible.

We're here to tell you that not all exercise has to be an intense HIIT workout to be effective. Have you ever tried stretching?

Stretching prepares the body for activity and has been found to boost healing. But, not all stretching is created equal.

Your stretches must be related to your activity. This ensures that your muscles, tendons and ligaments are activated in a way that prepares your body for exercise. By focusing your stretch session youโ€™ll be able to reduce your likelihood of getting injured and boost your flexibility.

In addition to pre/post workout stretches, you should also aim to incorporate a stretch session into your daily routine to mobilise joints, and boost productivity. A full body stretch is a great way to do that.

Looking for a full body stretch routine for beginners? It's time toย reset your posture.ย Hereโ€™s a great 5 minute routine for a complete body stretch:

High Knee Hamstring Hug

For a quick stretch routine for the hamstrings, stand with feet shoulder width apart. Stand on your left leg and lift your right leg up. Hug your knee into your chest and hold the position for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other leg.

The high knee hamstring hug stretches your glutes and increases hip mobility.

Offset Leg Lunge

Next up in our total body stretch session is the offset leg lunge.

Stand straight, and take one large step forward with your right leg. Go into a deep lunge. Your right leg should be at a 90 degree angle and your back knee should almost touch the floor. Then, put your left hand on the floor near your right instep. Reach up to the sky with your right arm. Your arms should be in a straight line. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds. Do the same with the other leg and arm. Stretches your groin area and legs.

Whilst adding some serious impact to your full body stretching routine, the offset leg lunge also mobilises your thoracic spine, stretches out your chest area and activates your core. Nice.

Lying Glute Stretch

Now for the glutes. Many people search for advice around how to stretch glutes, from fear of injury.

So, lie on your back and bend both knees, keeping your feet on the floor. Bring your left ankle up and place it on your right thigh. Loop your hands around your right thigh. Pull your right leg it into your chest. Hold for 30 seconds then repeat with the other leg.

This step of your 5 minute full body stretch opens up your hips and stretches your glutes whilst preventing sudden twisting. The satisfaction from this one is real.ย 

Standing Shoulder Stretch

In the final step of your full body stretch, hold your right arm out straight then pull your right arm into your chest with your left forearm. Hold for 20 seconds then release. Now, raise your right arm over your head and bend your elbow so that your right hand is behind your left shoulder. Press gently on your right elbow with your left hand and hold for 20 seconds.

Repeat with your other arm. Some of the most common weight training injuries involve the shoulder joint. Stretching this joint can help increase range of motion and reduce the likelihood of injury.

Summary

How was your total body stretch session? Pretty good, right? Whether you're looking for tips on how to stretch glutes, how to stretch your back, or how to stretch legs, we hope that the above tips will get you well on your way to relaxation.ย 

The benefits of stretching are pretty impressive, with research indicating that stretching not only reduces your risk of injury, but has been seen to reduce anxiety and exhaustion, too.ย 

If you're looking for some further inspiration, check out the below articles, and make sure you're supplementing your exercise routine with The Health Protein for optimum results.ย 

Referencesย 

  • Montero-Marin, J., Asรบn, S., Estrada-Marcen, N., Romero, R., & Asun, R. (2013). Effectiveness of a stretching program on anxiety levels of workers in a logistic platform: a randomized controlled study.ย Atenciรณn primaria,ย 45(7), 376-383. Click here.
  • Pornratshanee Weerapong, Patria A. Hume & Gregory S. Koltย (2004)ย Stretching: Mechanisms and Benefits for Sport Performance and Injury Prevention,ย Physical Therapy Reviews,ย 9:4,ย 189-206.ย Click here.๏ปฟ
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To make things easier, weโ€™ve put together this nifty guide diving into the science of new yearโ€™s fitness, why traditional workout resolutions so often fall apart, and what genuinely helps when it comes to building habits that last for the long term. Right, letโ€™s get into it. Why New Yearโ€™s fitness resolutions donโ€™t succeedย  Before exploring how you can set your fitness goals for the long term, itโ€™s important to understand why so many fall short.ย  The main reason comes down to something psychologists call the โ€œfresh start effectโ€. This is a period that interrupts the calendar schedule (such as New Year's), creating a mental separation between the past and the future. 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Instead of asking, โ€œAm I seeing results yet?โ€, the more useful question becomes, โ€œCan I repeat this next week?โ€ Remember, the most effective fitness routines arenโ€™t created in January - theyโ€™re carried through February, March, and beyond. References Dai, H., Milkman K.L., Riis,J. (2013).The Fresh Start Effect: Temporal Landmarks Motivate Aspirational Behavior. Management Science. 60 (10), 2563-2582.ย Click here. Cezar, B., Macada, A. (2023). Cognitive Overload, Anxiety, Cognitive Fatigue, Avoidance Behavior and Data Literacy in Big Data environments. Information Processing & Management. 60 (6). Click here. Ntoumanis, N., Healy, L. et.al. (2014). Self-Regulatory Responses to Unattainable Goals: The Role of Goal Motives. 13 (5), 594-612. Click here. Cleveland Clinic. Overtraining Syndrome. Click here. Sebire,S., Standage, M., Vansteenkiste,M. (2011). Predicting objectively assessed physical activity from the content and regulation of exercise goals: evidence for a mediational model. 33 (2), 175-197. Click here. ย 
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When sleep timing drifts and meals become inconsistent, insulin sensitivity drops, hunger cues become noisier, and cravings increase. Not because youโ€™ve lost discipline, but because your physiology is responding exactly as it should. This is why willpower fails so reliably during the festive period. Willpower is not a plan. It never was. Behaviour follows environment. And the end-of-year environment is designed to disrupt even the best intentions. More social pressure. More choice. Less routine. Less recovery. Expecting motivation to override that is unrealistic. Yet the wellness industry loves this moment. January resets. Detoxes. Thirty-day transformations. The implication is always the same. You slipped up. Now fix it. That framing is wrong. You didnโ€™t fail. Your anchors disappeared. So instead of trying to be perfect between now and the New Year, thereโ€™s a better approach. Protect structure. Not outcomes. I think of this as a Minimum Effective Routine. The smallest set of habits that keep your system regulated when life gets noisy. You donโ€™t need control all day. You need a few non-negotiables. First, a morning anchor. How you start the day sets the tone for everything that follows. Consistent wake times, early light exposure, and hydration matter more than whether you train or not. Even during the festive period, waking within a similar window each day helps stabilise energy, appetite, and sleep later on. Second, a nutrition anchor. Health doesnโ€™t unravel because of one rich meal. It unravels when eating becomes random. Skipped meals followed by late, heavy dinners create blood sugar swings that drive overeating. One simple rule makes a difference. Anchor at least one meal per day around protein and fibre. No tracking. No guilt. Just consistency. Protein in particular becomes critical when routines loosen. It supports lean mass, regulates appetite hormones like GLP-1, and reduces the likelihood of grazing later in the day. Third, a movement anchor. This is not about training hard. Itโ€™s about staying active. Walking, light resistance work, mobility, or a short session at home. Ten to twenty minutes counts. Movement improves glucose handling, digestion, mood, and sleep quality. It is one of the most reliable ways to offset stress and irregular eating. Fourth, an evening wind-down anchor. Late nights are part of the festive period. Thatโ€™s normal. What matters is how often they stack. Alcohol, screens, and social stimulation all fragment sleep. A simple wind-down routine most nights helps signal safety to your nervous system. Lower lights. Fewer screens. Breathing. Reading. Repetition matters more than perfection. These anchors donโ€™t make you โ€œhealthyโ€. They keep you regulated. Now, an honest word on supplements. Supplements wonโ€™t rescue a chaotic routine. Anyone promising that is selling shortcuts. But they can support physiology when structure is under pressure. Hydration often drops at this time of year, especially when alcohol intake increases. Electrolytes support fluid balance, nerve signalling, and muscle function. Protein becomes more important when meals are irregular, helping to stabilise appetite and maintain muscle. Micronutrients also matter when sleep, stress, and food quality are inconsistent. This is how we think about Innermost products. Not as a reset. Not as a fix. But as tools that support the fundamentals when life is busy and routines loosen. The biggest mistake people make is treating the festive period as a write-off and the New Year as a clean slate. That approach creates a cycle of extremes. If you protect structure now, the New Year doesnโ€™t need repairing. Thereโ€™s no detox required. No dramatic restart. Just continuity. Finally, as we close out the year, I want to say thank you. Thank you for your support. Thank you for trusting us in an industry that often values hype over health. And thank you for being part of a community that cares about doing things properly. I hope you enjoy the festive period with your friends and loved ones, get some well-earned rest, and step into 2026 feeling steady, not behind.
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