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15-Minute Beginner Full-Body Stretch

15-Minute Beginner Full-Body Stretch — video by Tom Merrick Play · 15:00

Video by Tom Merrick on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A head-to-toe flexibility routine for any starting level: neck and chest stretches, child's pose variations, slow back-extension press-ups lying face down, knee drops, a cross-body glute pull, hip swivels, squat-to-pike, low lunges and frog rocks, with holds of about 30 seconds.

  • 15 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • mat
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Step by step 10

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Neck side stretch: tilt your head right, left arm out, and gently assist with your hand; 30 seconds each side. 0:39
  2. Shoulder extension reach: kneeling, clasp your hands behind you and pull them back to open the chest. 1:57
  3. Child's pose, then press your chest down for the lats, then twist away from each arm for a pec stretch. 2:48
  4. Press-ups lying face down: slowly push your chest up and lower back down, breathing out as you rise; five times. 4:48
  5. Hug your knees to your chest, then drop both knees side to side, five each way. 5:39
  6. Cross-body glute pull: hook one leg over and pull the knee towards the opposite shoulder; 30 seconds each side. 6:49
  7. Hip swivels: sitting with feet apart, drop both knees to one side, then the other; 10 in total. 8:32
  8. Squat to pike: from as low a squat as you can, lift into a pike with your chest towards your legs; five slow reps. 9:25
  9. Left low lunge, then sit up into a side bend squeezing the back glute, then frog rocks with knees wide. 10:36
  10. Right low lunge and side bend, then frog rocks again; finish resting in a squat. 12:26

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Breathe slowly and deeply through every hold
  • Only squat or lunge as low as you can; working towards depth is fine
  • Squeeze the back glute and push the hip forward in the lunge side bend

What it works Whole body

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 2 takes load

  • Hips takes loadlow lunges, frog rocks, deep squat, glute pull
  • Knees takes loadlow lunges, deep squats, frog rocks
  • Neck movesside neck stretch
  • Shoulders movesshoulder reaches, child's pose lat and chest stretches
  • Elbows movespress-ups lying face down
  • Wrists & hands movespress-ups, low lunge and frog rocks on hands
  • Upper back moveschild's pose twists, press-ups
  • Lower back movespress-ups, knee tucks, knee drops
  • Ankles & feet movesdeep squat to pike
  • Kneeling. Pressure on the kneecaps — a folded towel or cushion under the knees helps.
  • Weight on your hands. The wrists bend back under load. Fists, push-up handles or your forearms ease it.
  • Down on the floor. You get down to the floor and back up again.

Easier option from the coach: Squat and lunge only as low as you can; hands on the floor to assist

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Tom Merrick; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety