Liquor.com | Should Bartenders Stretch Before Their Shift? Yes. And this is Why.

Stretching may be the last thing on your mind before you start a long night behind the bar, but it shouldn’t be. “In our job, we’re on our feet all night,” says Channing Centeno, a St-Germainbrand specialist and creative director and the head bartender at Otis in Brooklyn, N.Y. “We’re bending over to pick things up and using our wrists and shoulders a lot. Our bodies need time to warm up for those movements.” 

A former competitive figure skater and the head bartender at Zuma in NYC, Liza Brink says stretching can prepare your mind for service as well. “This job is hard, mentally, emotionally and physically. Stretching not only prepares your body for the tasks you’re about to perform, but it also gives you a moment to take care of yourself before interacting with guests.”

Here, Brink, Centeno and other bartenders share why and how they stretch before stepping behind the stick.

Alisha Bube