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Stretching
Try touching your toes right now while standing up. Did you touch them? Did you stop short? I bet if you stretched regularly, you wouldn’t be feeling guilty right now. Stretching is the act of pushing your body past the regular range of motion. This seems like the simplest thing to do, but due to our modern stationary daily lives (sitting all day), our range of motion continually decreases over time.
Stretching on a regular basis has an abundance of benefits ranging from increased flexibility to improved posture. Regular stretching has also been known to increase blood flow to your muscles and increase energy levels. It is also very beneficial for mental health and calming your mind while decreasing any daily pains you have or preventing injury all together.
There are different types of stretching that can be done. The most common type is static stretching which is when you stretch to a range of motion past the normal range and hold it. This method is most effective once the muscles are warmed up, or once a workout is complete.
Dynamic stretching would be a much more effective way to warm your body up before vigorous exercise. Dynamic stretching includes moving while stretching. A good way to explain dynamic stretching is going through the motions of a movement before doing in during a real game time scenario. This would be like doing a couple of squats with no weight before you get under the barbell to lift heavier weight.
Having a consistent stretching routine could make exercising more enjoyable. It will make daily movements smoother and will cause less pain and better recovery. There are several outlets online to look for stretching routines that can be used for specific parts of the body or just a daily routine.
