If you never stretch, you won’t have the flexibility to protect it from injury. Stretching performs many different functions. It can wake up sleeping muscles after a night’s rest and get the blood flowing to ready them for the day. It can also help relax tight muscles after a hard day. There are many different types of stretching, but one truth that permeates all forms of stretching is that it plays an important role in every exercise program and daily living.
Get your body ready for the day with a yawn and a stretch.
After a long slumber, your body temperature is lower, and your muscles are completely relaxed. A good stretch in the morning and yawn can change all that. It’s a natural reaction to increase circulation and prepare the muscles for the day’s work. Yawning increases oxygen intake to add to the preparation. Animals do both, too. A stretch before becoming active warms the muscles and prepares them for use. That can help prevent muscle injury.
Achieve better posture by stretching.
Poor posture throughout the day can cause health issues. Conditions like headaches, difficulty breathing, heartburn, incontinence, and constipation are known to be caused by poor posture. Poor posture can cause other, less common, physical issues, too. TMJ is just one of those. Traditional workouts for building strength can help improve posture, but stretching is also important. Stretching increases the range of motion and lets you extend muscles so your body aligns properly.
A pulled muscle can put you out of commission for weeks or months.
If you workout, stretching should play a vital role in that workout. It should also be part of everyone’s daily life, since pulled muscles don’t always occur at the gym. A person may bend down to tie a shoe or pick up the baby and pull a muscle in their back. Tripping, even if it’s minor, can cause muscle injury. Stretching increases your range of motion and oxygenation of the blood, which can prevent lactic acid buildup after exercise.
- Stretching provides a transition from sedentary to active. It helps acclimate the heart and prepare it for a workout so there’s no sudden spike in blood pressure.
- There are several types of stretching, but the two most often used are dynamic and static. Static is a stretch-and-hold type of movement, such as toe-touches, and dynamic involves movement, like lunges.
- If you have a sedentary job, you need to stretch and walk around every 55 minutes. The stretching will help prevent or relieve any back pain and both will improve overall health.
- Stretching before a strength-building workout can help build muscles faster. It allows a fuller extension of the muscles during the workout and allows you to work muscles on all planes.
For more information, contact us today at Reggie C. Fitness