We all are told to relax, but never told how to do it. Just to complicate matters, when someone says relax, we tense up even more. Here is a very simple exercise to help you calm down and release your muscles. It'll help you get rid of your back pain and all the tension even if you have no pains, at least not yet.

1. Pro-Active Siesta
Presented by:

2. 1. Siesta refers to short nap taken in early
afternoon, often after mid-day meal
2. This exercise isn't sleeping in it's true sense.
It intends doing what sleep is meant to do. All
of us sleep, but very few of us use it to
recover. Its meant to unwind, release tension
throughout the body and refresh the back
3. It can be done anytime of the day

3. Part 1
Take off your shoes and lie down on a firm
surface, not one that would make you sink in
like a very cushioned mattress.
A yoga mat on the ground works well.

4. Lie on your back, with knees bent at a comfortable angle,
with your feet flat on the ground.
Have your feet shoulder width apart.

5. Hands are placed on your abdomen as shown, with elbows
completely relaxed.

6. Use a firm pillow or a few books to support your head.
Height of pillow or books should be such that you feel
comfortable with the thought of elongating the spine and
also doesn't tense your neck, shoulders or upper back.

7. If possible, have your neck supported as well. If you have
access to a pillow and towel, put a rolled up towel in the
neck end of the pillow. This is meant to support the curve
in the neck area.

8. Focus on elongating and releasing your spine, not so much
straightening your spine. This is to be done by not forcing,
but letting go. No physical pressure is applied. Think of your
skull and tail bone to be going away from each other.

9. Relax your neck, its easier said then done. Think of loosening
your neck and let go off the tension as your skull and tail
bone go their separate ways.

10. Remind yourself to let your shoulders relax and let go from
rest of the torso.

11. Let your elbows go in opposite directions to that of the
shoulders, in effect lengthening your upper arms.

12. Now think of letting your forearms lengthen as well by
elbows going in opposite direction to that of the wrists.
Relax your wrists.

13. Now think of letting the front and back of your thighs relax,
and also the calves.

14. Imagine moving your knees up towards the sky.
But at all times, keep your feet on the ground.

15. Let your feet expand by letting your toes and heel move in
opposite directions. Let your feet widen as well.

16. 15. Get up slowly by rolling to your side.
16. Start this exercise with 1-2 minutes, but you
can build it up to 20-30 minutes.
17. Soon this will become second nature.
18. But keep going back to check the basics. If
yo keep doing it incorrectly, newer faults will
keep creeping in.

17. is a Centre of Excellence for
Sports-Exercise Medicine
&
Musculo-Skeletal Pain
www.b2f.in / 011-46560339