By Thomas King, MSc, CSCS, CEP

With the COVID-19 related mandates, more and more of us are now working from home. In many cases, our at home set-ups for work may not be ideal (I know mine isn’t). You may be lucky enough to have a home office with a decent set-up but many others are likely working from the kitchen table or the living room couch.

These work set-ups are not optimal and make flexibility even more important during this time if you want to avoid a bad back or a stiff neck. Still going into work with your normal set-up? These stretches can benefit you as well.

Stretch 1: Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch With Opposite Side Reach

  1. Assume a “half” kneeling position with one foot forward and one knee on the floor. Place a cushion under the knee on the floor for added comfort.
  2. Tuck your hips posteriorly and engage the abs while simultaneously engaging the glute muscle on the same side as that which is on the floor.
  3. Reach upwards and away with the same arm as the kneeling side.
  4. Hold for 20 seconds and switch sides. Repeat 3 times.
Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch Front View
Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch Side View

Stretch 2: Wall Hamstring Stretch

  1. Lie on the floor next to a door that will allow the necessary space to perform the stretch (See picture).
  2. Lift one leg against the doorframe and attempt to get it as flat to the frame as possible.While doing this, keep your back and neck flat to the ground. Do not let your hips rise from the floor.
  3. Hold for 20 seconds and switch sides. Repeat 3 times.
Wall Hamstring Stretch

Stretch 3: Wall Corner Chest Stretch

  1. Find a corner in the wall of your house with enough space to work in (See picture).
  2. Hold both arms up with your shoulders and elbows both at 90-degree angles.
  3. Allow yourself to “sink” into the wall until you feel a stretch in your chest.
  4. Hold for 20 seconds, rest and repeat 3 times.
Wall Corner Chest Stretch

Stretch 4: Spider-Man with Chest Opening

  1. Take a push-up position on the floor.
  2. Bring one foot up and to the outside of you hand. Only go as far as you can while keeping the foot flat.
  3. While holding this position, take the same-sided arm and reach upwards opening up the chest.
  4. Hold for 20 seconds and switch sides. Repeat 3 times.
Spider-Man Stretch Front View
Spider-Man Stretch Side View

Stretch 5: Cat/Cow  

  1. Assume an all fours kneeling position on the floor.
  2. For the “cat” position, tilt the hips anteriorly while pushing the bellybutton as close to the floor as possible. Hold for 5 seconds.
  3. For the “cow” position, push the center of your chest as high as possible while allowing the hips to tuck into a posterior tilt. Hold for 5 seconds.
  4. Alternate between positions for 6-8 Rounds
“Cow” Position
“Cat” Position

Try this stretching routine once or (if you are feeling stiff) twice per day over the next couple of weeks. Trust me, your body will thank you for it!

~Thomas 🏋️‍♀️

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I’m 43 and started at JKC just over a year ago. I started at JKC because of multiple recommendations from existing clients. There are 2 main elements that distinguish JKC for me. Firstly the sense of community. I’ve been to multiple gyms in multiple cities/countries, you just  can not manufacture the sense of community and support you get from other gym goers and the team. It’s very motivating and happy to say I’ve made some friends at JKC.

The other major distinguishing factor for JKC is the expertise and passion of the team. Jon, Thomas and Craig craft highly personalized programs based on my fitness goals and know how to push me best without being pushy. They pay close attention to ensuring my form is solid before encouraging me to take on more weight for the exercise. Plain and simple they love what they do and it shows.

I was looking for something to augment my 20+ year yoga practice with a focus on strength conditioning. I am friend’s with Jon’s sister in-law and over the years always heard great things about JKC, especially with respect to the top quality trainers they have and programs they run. After talking to Jon about my goals, and hearing his thoughts on a training plan, I knew that this was going to be an awesome experience … and it sure has been. JKC stands out from other gyms because of the attention to detail, the high quality of the staff and the facilities. Also, the amazing people that train there. And no one posing and taking selfies. I’m 41 years old and I started in Dec 2021.

trap bar deadlift

A few of my wonderful friends and colleagues recommended JKC. I was told by one colleague that “It’ll be the best thing you ever do for yourself” and she was right! To be honest, I didn’t have much experience in any gym setting. And NO prior weight training experience. It was always so overwhelming! But from the first day, nothing was intimidating about JKC. Each workout is set up just for me, and with my specific skills and goals in mind. There are no stupid questions, you learn as you go, and what I really love, I always feel included and important, regardless of my skills/experience.

I’ve always struggled with both my weight and anxiety throughout my life. As a writer you live a pretty sedentary lifestyle filled with both realistic and unrealistic deadlines, so I needed something to get me off my butt and to get me moving. JK has been a godsend during this past year and a half in particular. The pandemic has been tough, but workouts with both Thomas and Jon have really helped reduce the stress and strain of a global pandemic, and added an anchor of normalcy back into my life — which has been worth its weight in gold.

JKC has created an incredibly inclusive environment that’s filled with all kinds of supportive folks from all kinds of different backgrounds. For folks like myself, being surrounded by people with such athletic ability can be intimidating in most gyms. It can actually be a deterrent, and it sometimes has been for me. But, at JKC it’s far from that — it’s inspirational. Everyone supports one another. Which is something that’s not easily found in this day and age, inside of a gym or out. Not to sound like a total cheeseball here, but it really feels like a family.

I heard really good things about it from my sister, and I could see the positive results she was getting.  I needed to do something.  I was overweight, depressed, and recovering from a back injury.  I had reached a point where simply getting up out of a chair was becoming difficult.  I knew that if I didn’t do something about it my senior years would be very burdensome to the people close to me.  I’m so glad I did!  After just a few weeks my day-to-day pain was drastically reduced, and my mobility increased. I had the confidence to try sea kayaking, and I now play ice hockey twice a week!

The key difference is the expertise.  The trainers know the gym equipment and the exercises, but they also have degrees in kinesiology, and can apply what they know to your workout.  As someone who was in poor physical condition starting out, I was worried about hurting myself.  Previously I tried an outdoor weekly bootcamp and injured my knee by pushing too hard.  The trainers at JKC constructed a program that started at the right level for me, evolving it as I grew stronger and more fit.  I feel well looked after.

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