How To Get A Workout In When You Have Absolutely No Time

Sitting (especially in cars) does not do wonders for your body regardless of your activity level, but it's especially tough on your body if you've just finished a run or workout. It can leave you very tight. I have to sneak in stretching, yoga, warm-ups, and cool-downs wherever I can.

I also have a baseball or trigger point ball in my bathroom to roll under my feet to help prevent and treat plantar fasciitis. I also do this while putting on makeup or drying my hair. Ankle mobility or rolls are also great here.

This is especially helpful if I've just finished running and need to drive back home. I use my car to stretch a lot. I stand next to the driver side with the door open and I prop my foot up on the driver's side floor to stretch my hamstrings. Sometimes I'll do a standing pigeon with my thigh on the driver's seat. I'll also place my hands on the driver's seat or the side of the car to do some calf stretches. The same can be done when you get out of the car after a long drive.

Warning: You have to be careful in the shower for obvious reasons. Don't slip. I use the time washing my hair to stretch out my upper body and back, the time shaving my legs to stretch my hamstrings and just the whole experience in general to breathe. My days are hectic, so I'll take any little moment to just breathe for a second.

Tree pose great for the ankles, feet, and calves; it's a little balance challenge and also stretches the thighs and groin.

If '’m not standing in tree pose, I'm doing a variation of standing pigeon pose. My hips get very tight from driving around (and, really, from all of my workouts), and half pigeon is just awesome to alleviate a lot of that. I often prop my knee up half-pigeon style on tables, counters, desks, or anything that is a height that happens to work for my flexibility at the time. I also take it further and fold over that front thigh. If the counter or table is sturdy, I will also do a lower back/hamstring stretch that's almost like a standing downward-facing dog. I put my hands on the edges of the table/counter and fold forward as I take my hips back behind me. Again, make sure it's sturdy; you don't want the table to move or give out.

First, let's be clear. I cannot sit still for very long. I'm either doing a seated figure 4 stretch (crossing one ankle on top of the opposite thigh, keeping the foot flexed), or eagle legs (like eagle pose, cross-legged position with the top leg wrapped all the way around the bottom calf). If not that, then I have one knee bent with the foot flat on the chair, hugging my knee to my chest or sitting cross-legged/half lotus in the chair. I move around A LOT when I'm seated, unless I'm driving.

The bottom line? There are MANY ways to sneak in some stretches, some movement, some recovery, and also actual exercises if you are creative. Squats, planks, calf raises, and push-ups can be thrown into your day in very similar ways. Multitasking isn't always a bad thing!