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Stretching: why we need stretching
Stretching: why we need stretching

Video: Stretching: why we need stretching

Video: Stretching: why we need stretching
Video: Why Stretch? (Why are Physiotherapists so hung up on stretching?) 2024, May
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“It’s very important to be flexible in everyday life,” says my trainer at the fitness club. And he's right!

Stretching exercises are good for everyone, regardless of fitness level or age. They help to create a plastic and graceful figure, protect joints from possible injuries, as well as improve posture, increase self-esteem and self-confidence.

Cleo reveals the secrets of effective stretching, after which you will surely feel more energized and younger.

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Why do we need stretching?

Stuffy offices and sedentary monotonous work lead to the fact that we quickly get tired, get nervous about trifles, muscle tone decreases, posture is bent, and in general, our state of health worsens.

In yoga, a special place is given to stretching exercises, since a flexible body gives us a feeling of complete harmony.

Stretching regularly helps you feel much better, relieve stress and regain your flexibility. A person doing stretching has healthy ligaments and joints. Its joints move in full amplitude - this reduces the risk of injury during any sports activity.

Yoga teachers say that a flexible body and good stretching are a sign of youth … In yoga, a special place is given to stretching exercises, since a flexible body gives us a feeling of complete harmony.

Why is stretching useful?

But before you start stretching, you need to understand how they are useful for our body.

So, what exactly do stretching classes give:

  • It stimulates blood flow and lymph circulation in the body.
  • Flexibility is increased. Stretching will make you feel tall, slim and flexible, and your posture will change for the better.
  • Stretching exercises have a relaxing effect on the muscles, and also remove various pains caused by stress and nervous tension.
  • Some aging processes in our body slow down.
  • Stretching exercises effectively tone the muscles, while psycho-emotional stress, on the contrary, decreases.
  • With regular stretching, the trained muscles retain their elasticity, as they receive enough blood and nutrients.
  • Stretching exercises prepare you for your workout. If you're planning on going to the gym today, do your morning stretch. This will tune your body to physical activity and prevent muscle damage.
  • Conversely, stretching at the end of a training session helps your muscles recover faster.
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How to do stretching correctly

Now let's figure out what to look for when stretching.

Start with a warm-up. Before starting classes, you need to literally warm up the body - after that, the connective tissue will become more susceptible to stretching. Warming up will keep your muscles flexible and elastic, which will reduce the risk of injury during your main workout.

Experts recommend a light 10-minute aerobic session. For this, exercises such as walking on the spot or on a treadmill, jumping rope are perfect.

Stretch. It is recommended that you choose stretching exercises that affect areas of your body such as your neck, shoulders, lower back, abdominals, thighs, or calves.

Warming up will keep your muscles flexible and elastic, which will reduce the risk of injury during your main workout.

Hold each exercise of the program for 30-60 seconds at the maximum stretch point (a feeling of discomfort in the muscles, but not to pain). After that, repeat this element 3-4 more times, and then stretch another muscle group.

Remember to Breathe Correctly - do not hold the air and do not rush to exhale. Breathe calmly and evenly, and in between exercises, take a deep breath and exhale completely.

When shouldn't you stretch? Stop stretching immediately if you experience any of these symptoms:

  • Dizziness
  • Tingling or burning sensation in the limbs
  • Muscle spasm
  • Incomprehensible crunching or clicking in the body
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A little "but" about ligaments

When you feel pain in a joint, you are most likely pulling on the ligaments, not the muscles. Ligaments are responsible for the stable position of the joints: when the ligament is stretched, the joint relaxes and it can be easily injured.

But what about during an injury? During stretching, blood circulation is disturbed, the injured muscle does not move - this can lead to its atrophy. Therefore, light stretching will not hurt, it can be done from the first day of injury.

It only remains to add that you can do stretching exercises at any time for your wellness and mood enhancement. Be flexible and healthy!

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