The younger you are, the more important it is for you to pick up these habits now, as the older you get, the more you may notice that it is increasingly difficult to do them. Even if you can't do the full cycle, do as much as you can as often as you can, and you may notice you'll be improving in no time.
- Squat. Find a wall, table or bench. Grab a hold of the edge, bend your knees all the way down, and rest on the heels of your feet...you know, a regular squat. Try to do this slowly if you're not sure if you can make it all the way down. People around you may be concerned about your sudden drop to the near-floor, but tell them you're fine. You should notice a stretch in the bottoms of your feet.
- Move your knees up towards your face. Keeping your back erect and upright, rotate your hips upwards, so your knees come up to you, and your feet should roll down so that your entire foot is resting on the ground. You'll probably have to keep holding on to the edge of your table for this. You should notice your lower back stretch...it should feel good.
- Move your knees down to the ground. Still keeping your back erect, rotate your hips forwards so that your knees move away from you, towards but not touching the ground. Your heels should come back off the floor, and you should notice your feet stretch more. Lean backwards slightly, and you should feel the tops of your thighs stretching, too.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 as often as you like. Moving slowly back and forth should provide a pleasant sensation in the lower back, as well as stretching out various areas of the feet and legs.
- Stand up and finish with more leg stretches. Most runners (or anyone who's been to gym class) will know how to stretch various parts of their legs. If you don't know what to do, ask around or just move your leg outside the normal range of motion until you feel it.
Doing this several times a day will not only keep your legs and feet pain-free, but it may also increase your stamina for all those hours of just... standin' around. Enjoy!
