Stretch: 7 daily movements to set your body free

Ever wake up in the morning with aches and pains? Does your job keep you hunched over a desk for hours a day? Perhaps you are a runner with a good level of fitness but can barely touch your toes? If the answer is yes – it's time to STRETCH! There has been a lot of emphasis from both public health campaigns and the wellness industry on getting people moving 'more'. We all now know that we are supposed to do 10,000 steps per day and many of us possess some sort of wearable tech to track how much distance we cover; however, how we move is still somewhat ignored. Due to the sedentary nature of modern life, the destiny for many is muscles and joints that slowly tighten over the years. All of a sudden you realise that you can't sit comfortably in a squat, touch your toes or get up from sitting on the floor without using your hands. In life, if we don't use the movement, we lose the movement. In STRETCH, professional movement coach Roger Frampton is here to tell you that flexibility and mobility should really be likened to brushing your teeth daily, on waking up and before you sleep. His TED Talk "Why Sitting Down Destroys You" has been viewed over 3 million times and his revolutionary approach to functional fitness emphasises the importance of conscious movement. Combining light bodyweight exercises, gentle twists and elongating stretches, STRETCH is a daily programme of seven essential movements (with three variations of each) to help combat the key areas of the body that have lost functionality, improve overall wellbeing and fight the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle. All without a gym membership. "This book has definitely made me rethink my priorities when it comes to a workout – it's the perfect way to start your mobility journey!" - Tom Daley, Olympic swimmer