- Thank you for joining me for today's Quick Fit class, where we'll be loosening up your neck.

I'm your host, Cassy Vieth.

We'll use long, slow movements and deep breathing to lengthen these muscles and get rid of all that stiffness and tension in your neck, so let's get started.

[gentle music] Since we already sit too much, use this class as an opportunity to challenge your leg strength, and remove your shoes for easy conditioning of your foot muscles.

Throughout this simple routine, remember to breathe in very deep between stretches and exhale extra long as you enter a stretch, like this.

Breathing in with a big belly inhale for four beats, in two, three, four, and out for six, pulling in the belly to help expel all that stale air.

All right, so it'll be in two, three, four, and out for six, five, four, three, two, one.

Let's start some shoulder circles.

Good job, and up and back, making sure you land with your shoulders down and back.

Drop that chin, do it again.

Circle up, drop the shoulders down, pull them back, and lift.

Good, again, shoulder circle, lift, shoulders up, [inhales] press them down and back, very nice.

Let's turn your face to the left, okay?

[exhales] Do another shoulder circle while we're here.

Press those shoulders down, pull 'em back, now lift your eyes.

[inhales] I hope you're still maintaining your breathing tempo.

And let's look forward.

Shoulder circles, lift them up, land down, and back.

Turn that face to your right; hopefully you're mirroring me, [inhales and exhales] and lift those eyeballs up.

Good, now face forward, shoulder circles.

[inhales] Down, squeeze those shoulder blades together.

All right, let's put that right arm behind your back.

And now I'd like you to look up.

That feels good, and then let's turn your face towards your opposite armpit.

[exhales] All right, drop your chin towards your opposite armpit, hold it here, take another big inhale.

Nice and long, [inhales] and exhale.

[exhales] I'm sure you're seeing as you exhale, you're getting nice lengthening, and it's not that cringing kind of a stretch.

It's just very natural and fairly easy.

Okay, let's do the other side.

So put your other arm behind your back.

Okay, pull that shoulder back, lift that chin.

[inhales] And as you exhale, turn your chin towards your opposite armpit.

[exhales] Do it again with a big inhale.

You can lift the face a little and then drop the chin again.

Face the front again, shoulders up, pull 'em back, press 'em down.

Again, lift and down, all right.

Up, press 'em down.

One more.

Good, let's put your right arm behind your back.

Look up to center.

We'll do that again.

Let's look down at your armpit.

This time, I'd like you to reach up and do a gentle pull on the back of your head.

Lift the head up into your fingers.

And release and let gravity pull that head down.

Very nice, we'll do the other side.

Circle, shoulders up and down, up and down.

Press the shoulders down, lift the chin.

Turn the chin towards the other side, other armpit.

Oh, and if you haven't tucked that opposite hand behind your back, do it now.

Okay, let's reach up, pull on the back of the head gently, very gently; now try to lift the head up into the fingers.

Release and drop the chin.

Try not to lean over.

I find myself leaning over and it's really a neck stretch.

So stand tall, let gravity stretch the neck.

At this point, it's the muscles on the back side of your neck and release.

Okay, let's extend your right arm out to the side.

We'll do a trap stretch, the muscles right here.

Let's drop this ear straight over towards the shoulder.

Hold it right there.

If it starts to feel like it's gonna twinge, just pause.

Come out of it, inhale [inhales] and then exhale.

And you can let gravity pull the head over.

If this is too much for your neck, you can support the head.

In fact, put your fingers here on the side of your head and press the head into your fingers.

So you're making the muscles work at the moment.

Now release, breathe in, and let gravity pull over.

Once again, you may support the head if it doesn't feel quite right to you.

All right, gently come out of that, nice and slow.

We'll do the opposite side, extend your left arm.

[inhales] And then we're going to drop the right ear towards the shoulder.

If it feels like it's gonna bind up or catch or just feel terrible, avoid that, stop, breathe it in, come out of it a little bit, and then exhale.

[exhales] Good, let's press the head into the fingers, release, and let gravity pull the head, very nice.

All right, let's lift up.

Let's put the fingers right behind the head.

Now pull the chin into the neck, making this double chin.

You know, for those of you who are struggling with a stiff neck today, it's a good idea to couple this class with a good pelvic mobility class because when your low back is off, it negatively affects your spine all the way up into your neck.

Let's finish off with a rag doll.

So I start by shifting.

[inhales] Just pretend you really can't feel your upper body and just let it dangle forward.

[inhales and exhales] I hope you're still breathing, and we'll roll up slowly, tucking that chin, head coming up last.

[inhales and exhales] I think the slow pace and deep breathing of this class makes it a perfect choice any time you need to relieve stress or simply reset.

Find it again right here at pbswisconsin.org/quickfit, and tell a friend how great these classes make you feel.

And of course, remember to keep on moving.

- Announcer: Funding for Quick Fit with Cassy is provided by Focus Fund for Wisconsin Programs and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.