How’s your stretching game? Think of how your body feels waking up each morning. Now, try bending down. Are you able to pick things up with ease? If you move around each day with a stiff body, that can all change with a few mins of daily stretching.
I understand your day is busy and time may be limited, so it’s easy to neglect something so simple as stretching. Try not to ignore it though, it’s worth it and has life long benefits. Stretching is just as important as working out.
Stretching improves flexibility while helping you perform everyday activities, increasing your range of motion. Think of how nice it would feel being able to move a joint through its full range of motion without discomfort. This will improve performance in physical activities and your overall daily function.
Having strong flexibility will help delay reduced mobility that can come with aging. Having lengthened muscles will help you recover faster after an injury and help recover muscle soreness after a training session.
Stretching specific muscle groups, such as hips, glutes, chest, lower and upper back, can reduce musculoskeletal pain and encourage proper alignment that may help improve your posture. In addition, regular stretching can help heal existing back pain reducing the risk for muscle strain.
Keep in mind, there are times where stretching isn’t safe. If you have an acute or existing injury, only perform stretches recommended by your doctor. If you have an injury, consider talking with a specialist to design a stretching protocol that fits your needs.
Don’t stretch beyond the point of comfort, you should never feel pain. Don’t hyperextend the muscle you are stretching. If the area starts to hurt, back off the stretch until you don’t feel any discomfort.
Don’t stretch on cold muscles, which is normally first thing in the morning, you may easily pull something if your body isn’t warmed up. Take a few minutes, get the blood flowing and your heart rate moving, then begin your stretching.
Think of stretching as a form of self care. As it plays a role in mindfulness and meditation, calming your mind gives you a mental break from the chaos of daily life.
Ashley LaMorte is a nationally certified fitness instructor and has been in the fitness industry close to a decade. Over the years she has gotten the opportunity to instruct group X boot camps at gyms and train private clients from all walks of life, all over the Bay Area. She now has her own mobile fitness business, LaMorte Lift. Learn more at LaMorteLift.com.
