When considering a workout, most people focus on two main disciplines – cardio (getting heart rate up) and resistance training. However, stretching is a third tenet of fitness that is too often overlooked. Whether you’ve not established a stretching routine because of a lack of time or a misunderstanding of how stretching benefits your body – today is the day to put stretching back into your routine.
Flexibility and mobility are a vital component of any fitness regimen, both of which can have a positive impact on our overall health, wellness and longevity.
Top 6 Stretching Benefits to Know
- Prevent Mobility Issues: As we grow older, most people expect that their mobility will diminish. However, by increasing our flexibility, we can help to extend the years that we will enjoy agility and slow down the “aging” process. Routine stretching allows us to keep up with daily activities more easily.
- Improve Range of Motion: When a joint is experiencing a reduced range of motion, movement is significantly restricted. Stretching to support range of motion is essential to not only improve sports performance, but it can help to minimize injuries.
- Help Manage Pain & Discomfort: Once an injury has occurred, stretching can be a beneficial step to enhancing the recovery process. For example, working on stretching and strengthening the core and back muscles can lower the risk of back strain.
- Preventing Injury: Before any exercise, it is vital to ensure that muscles, tendons, and ligaments are appropriately prepared for the activity, and stretching facilitates fluid muscle movement. Active (dynamic) stretching is a gentle method for warming up muscles before any fitness activity or game – even before a jog or short run.
- Facilitate Circulation: Muscle cells are sustained via blood flow that delivers nutrients to each cell while removing waste. Stretching improves circulation, conditioning muscles for physical activity, and shortens recovery time after a workout.
- Release Tension: Sore shoulders and headaches can be the result of tension in the neck and back. Stretching loosens muscles and provides emotional and physical stress relief.
Our Digital Lifestyle Makes Stretching Vital
More Americans than ever live sedentary lives, which can result in shorter, tightened muscles. Over time, the muscles reach a point that they can no longer fully extend, even during strenuous activity or exercise. For instance, if you sit at a desk all day, hamstrings, quads, and hip muscles will tighten up, resulting in lower back pain and reduced range of motion. Many people also experience difficulty in straightening their legs and knees to full extension. If you perform rigorous activity without stretching, the muscles are stretched out suddenly, causing injury to both the muscle and the joints. Slow, gentle stretching allows the muscles to ease into the movement.
Start by working out muscle groups that you have noticed are causing discomfort or affecting range of motion. Also, if you just worked out, stretch the muscles that you just exerted during the activity to improve recovery and minimize soreness. This type of stretching should include static holds for 20-30 seconds per body part.
Remember, there are also distinct ways NOT to stretch:
- Try not to “bounce” while completing stretches, which can cause injury and risk damage to your muscles. Stretching gently and slowly will result in improved circulation that will promote healthy healing.
- Always warm up before performing any stretches, as “cold stretching” can damage the muscles.
Longevity Wellness is Here to Help
From TCM methodologies to supplements and innovative fitness routines, the experts at the Longevity Wellness Clinic provide the information you need to holistically reclaim your health. If you are looking for natural ways to fight fatigue, balance hormones or relieve stress – call us today.