Benefits of stretching

Stretching is one of the most overlooked components of fitness. Everyone should incorporate more flexibility moves into their workout routines.

Prepare your body for stretching by warming up first, not the other way around. Do five to ten minutes of walking, stepping, cycling, or some other aerobic movement before you stretch until your body is really warm.

When weight training, remember to stretch the same muscles you worked in between sets. This will help keep lactic acid from building up in your muscles (lactic acid causes muscles to become sore). If you do any aerobics, make sure that you end the session with a cool-down period that stretches the major muscle groups. Stretching will help you feel more refreshed and energized, because it helps your body to circulate blood.

Take your stretching time seriously. The more you spend energy on stretching, the better you will feel and the best results. Focus on the sensations: how does it make you feel? Make sure you spend more time stretching the right muscles. If you are a runner, make sure you stretch well your quadriceps, hamstrings and calves. If you do step aerobics, spend more time stretching your hip flexors and quadriceps. In general, pay attention to tight areas and do not forget to stretch your chest and shoulders.

Pay attention to your body. You should not compare yourself to others. Stretching is individual. Do not over-stretch. Do not push too far or you might risk an injury. Instead, stretch until the sensation becomes a little bit uncomfortable. If it is painful or you are shaking, then you are probably stretching too far.

Make sure you do not use ballistic movements since bouncing while stretching might provoke your muscles to tighten instead of relaxing. On the contrary, stretch your muscles to the end point of movement and hold the stretch for about 10 to 30 seconds.

If you are too tight, you may use a towel in order to reach to your feet or to slowly increase a stretch that is difficult for you. For more comfort, you might want to use a therapeutic ball. Diverse accessories are available now; choose what works best for you.

To go to a beginner's yoga class or to a relaxation class might help you familiarize yourself with the stretching moves. The atmosphere is usually relaxing and interesting and you need not try all the moves. Besides getting more aware of your body, you might just find the company or the stimulation you need as well as learning diversity in the techniques.

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