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The Best 3 Exercises to Do After a Long Drive

Long drives do more than make you stiff — they shut down key muscles, compress joints, and leave your body stuck in a “protective” posture. The goal after driving isn’t a workout that leaves you sweaty or sore. It’s to reverse what sitting just did. These three exercises are chosen specifically to:

  • Reopen the hips

  • Wake up the glutes

  • Restore spinal movementAll in under 5 minutes, no equipment required.


Why Long Drives Mess With Your Body

When you sit for extended periods:

  • Hip flexors shorten

  • Glutes shut down

  • Spinal mobility decreases

  • Circulation slows

This is why people often feel tight hips, a cranky low back, stiff neck, or heavy legs after driving. These exercises target the exact areas that take the biggest hit.

These are the Best 3 exercises

A woman in athletic wear performs a yoga pose with arms raised. She's in a gym against a gray wall. Calm and focused mood.

Exercise 1: Hip Flexor Stretch (Standing or Kneeling)

Why it matters:Tight hip flexors pull on the pelvis and low back, contributing to stiffness and pain after sitting.


How to do it:

  • Step one foot back into a split stance

  • Gently tuck your pelvis and squeeze the back glute

  • Shift forward slightly until you feel a stretch in the front of the hip

  • Keep ribs stacked over hips (don’t arch your back)


Time: 30–45 seconds per side


What this helps:

  • Reduces low back tension

  • Restores hip extension

  • Improves posture after sitting


Exercise 2: Glute Bridge

Woman in green workout clothes doing a bridge pose on a yoga mat in a living room. Background features a beige sofa and plant.

Why it matters: Driving turns your glutes “off.” When they don’t fire, your low back and hips pick up the slack.


How to do it:

  • Lie on your back with knees bent, feet hip-width

  • Press through your heels and lift hips

  • Squeeze glutes at the top for 2 seconds

  • Lower slowly


Reps: 10–15 controlled reps


What this helps:

  • Reactivates glutes

  • Supports the low back

  • Improves hip stability


Exercise 3: Thoracic Spine Rotation (Open Books or Standing Rotations)

Woman in a blue shirt and black leggings stands sideways, crossing her arms on her chest against a plain white background.

Why it matters: Long drives limit spinal rotation, which affects posture, breathing, and neck comfort.


How to do it (floor version):

  • Lie on your side, knees bent

  • Reach top arm across your body, then open it toward the floor behind you

  • Follow your hand with your eyes

  • Keep knees together


How to do it (standing option):

  • Hands across chest

  • Rotate gently side to side


Reps: 6–8 slow reps per side


What this helps:

  • Restores upper-back mobility

  • Reduces neck and shoulder stiffness

  • Improves breathing mechanics


How Long This Takes (and When to Do It)

Total time: 3–5 minutes

Best times to do this:

  • Right after you arrive

  • During a rest stop

  • At the hotel or home before sitting again

You don’t need to “warm up” — this is the reset.


Why This Works

These exercises:

  • Reverse prolonged hip flexion

  • Restore glute activation

  • Reintroduce spinal movement

  • Improve circulation and nervous system input

That’s why even a few minutes can make a noticeable difference. best 3 exercises


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