Salt Lake City, UT -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/08/2021 --Stretching is an important part of health and according to Intermountain Healthcare Heart Institute exercise specialist Jeffery Beck using a resistance band can help add tension to deepen stretches and increase flexibility.

The best part, Beck says, is that there are simple exercises you can do at home without expensive equipment or weights. Resistance bands are inexpensive, don't take up a lot of space, and are easily accessible.

Beck says to complete the following full body stretching routine using a resistance band to help get more out of your stretching routine.

1) Lying Hip Stretch: Lie on the floor and loop band around the right foot, grabbing onto the bands with the opposite hand. Straighten the left leg out on the floor and gently lower the right leg across the body and to the left as low as you can go feeling the stretch in the right hip and glute. Hold for 15-30 seconds and then switch sides. Repeat a few times per leg.

2) Upper Back Stretch: Sit on the floor with legs extended and loop band around both feet. Cross the band and grab on to each side with both hands close to the feet. Gently curl the back, stretching it towards the back of the room while using the band to create tension and add to the stretch. Hold for 15-30 seconds. Repeat a few times.

3) Side Stretch: Sit on a chair or cross-legged on the floor. Hold onto one side of the band with the left hand and reach the arm towards the right. Grab onto the other end with the right hand and gently pull, creating tension and stretching the left side of the waist. Try not to round the back, but keep the torso straight. Hold for 15-30 seconds and then switch sides. Repeat a few times per side.

"You can do this routine every day, preferably multiple times a day, to improve flexibility," said Beck. He said improved flexibility improves motion, relieves pain, and increases overall health and wellness.

For more information go to: https://intermountainhealthcare.org/services/wellness-preventive-medicine/live-well/move-well/

About Intermountain Healthcare
Intermountain Healthcare is a nonprofit system of 25 hospitals, 225 clinics, a Medical Group with 2,600 employed physicians and advanced practice clinicians, a health insurance company called SelectHealth, and other health services in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is widely recognized as a leader in clinical quality improvement and in efficient healthcare delivery. For more information about Intermountain, visit intermountainhealthcare.org, read our blogs, or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.