Benefits of Stretching

Stretching is an exercise routine that improves muscle tone and flexibility. It can also reduce the risk of injury, improve athletic performance, and increase your productivity. If you are a runner or cyclist, stretching before your workout can relieve muscle soreness afterwards too! Here are some benefits of stretching:

- Feel less pain during physical activity

- Repairs muscle tissue by increasing blood circulation for more oxygen and nutrients

- Increased strength in specific muscles by improving the range of motion for those muscles

- Improved athletic performance with better balance and reduced chance of injury

- Increased productivity because it decreases recovery time from physical activity

Stretching is amazing because it makes you feel good while also getting you closer to reaching professional goals. By stretching before activity you are less likely to injure yourself and you will be able to perform at a higher level. You will feel more aware, alert, and better coordinated with regular stretching.

How to Stretch:

Before any physical activity that involves large movements or repetitive actions, it is important to stretch the muscles that will be used. Always stretch until no longer comfortable (do not hurt yourself!). Never bounce while stretching! Always breathe naturally and relax your muscles.

Get in a comfortable position on the floor or on the ground. Start by taking a deep breath and then exhaling all the air out of your lungs. Close your eyes and exhale all the air out once again to relax. This is called "breathing in and out" so many people just call it "belly breathing".

Keep your spine straight while you can if you are lying down, or keep your neck locked if you are standing up. If there is pain anywhere in your body you should not be stretching it (thoracic spine for example). If there is a muscle injury, you may want to skip stretching that particular muscle. Once you are relaxed, place one hand on your abdomen or belly button (just below the rib cage) and start breathing. Feel the stomach rise and fall with each breath. If your belly is not moving up and down then check that you are breathing naturally. Try to feel your ribs expand as you take a deep breath in, then slowly contract or pull together as you breath out.

- Slowly raise both arms above the head until they touch the ceiling.

- Try to keep them straight for at least 30 seconds, but if it hurts somewhere then stop immediately.

- When lowering the arms again be sure to inhale naturally and exhale all the air out of your body to relax.

- Do the same with the other arm.

- Keep on breathing and changing positions until you feel better.

It is CRUCIAL to remain relaxed during this time! Working out while tense can cause injury and disrupt the healing process of muscles.

Go through the exercise routine once or twice a day, as needed! You will feel more alert, relaxed, and better prepared for any physical activity after doing this.

- Always stretch until no longer comfortable (do not hurt yourself!). Never bounce while stretching!

- Always breathe naturally and relax your muscles.

- Get in a comfortable position on the floor or on the ground.

I hope you guys enjoyed reading this article as much as I enjoyed writing it up for you! I am learning so much from Dr. Taubman and I hope that this blog can benefit you as much as it has already benefited me!

If you would like to refer to this article online please do so using the following link:

https://www.agilitynut.com/benefits-of-stretching

I'd like to take the time to thank you all for reading my article here on AgilityNut.com . Please if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions please feel free to email me at any time: info at agilitynut dot com. You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter! I look forward to hearing from everyone!

-Dr. Taubman (jointauthor)

Disclaimer: All content within this article is intended for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are suffering from injuries due to the inappropriate use of stretching or other physical activity please see your physician immediately.

- Dr. Taubman and joint authors of this article

This blog is a collaboration between Dr. Taubman, and several of his students from his Animal Behavior course at Parkland College in Champaign, IL. We are all learning about how to best present our research material to an online audience while also getting feedback and sharing information with each other. You can find us on Twitter at @jointauthortaubman .

-Dr. Taubman (jointauthor)

-Dr. Taubman and joint authors of this article

-Dr. Taubman (jointauthor)

I'd like to take the time to thank you all for reading my article here on AgilityNut.com .

Conclusion:

As you can see, stretching is an important part of keeping your body healthy! Always make sure to do this after every workout as necessary. I personally only stretch right before a race or if I've felt really stiff the day before.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this article! If you have any questions feel free to email me at any time at info at agilitynut dot com. You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter!

Disclaimer: All content within this article is intended for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Benefits of Stretching

Benefits of Stretching

Post a Comment

Contact Form