6 Reasons Why Stretching Is a Must
Do you stretch before and after exercise? If not, then you should do it! Stretching relieves muscle soreness, lowers injury risk, and boosts sports performance. It’s one of the best ways to keep your joints flexible and improve range of motion. Depending on your preferences, you can strech before and/or after exercise, on your off-training days, or whenever you feel the need to do it. This simple practice can even help you recover faster from training.
Still have doubts? Here are six reasons why stretching is a must:
Prepares Your Body for Exercise
Stretching prepares your muscles and joints for the demands of exercise. It works by increasing blood and oxygen flow to your tissues, which helps prevent injuries and pain. Dynamic stretching works best before training, while static stretching should be done post workout.
Keeps You Injury Free
This form of exercise helps your body stay flexible, mobile, and injury-free. Basically, it relieves stress on the lumbar spine and allows your muscles to loosen up, which reduces injury risk. Regular stretching may also help prevent back pain and stiff joints.
Calms Your Mind
Stretching for as little as 10 minutes reduces mental tension and boosts your mood. This habit has been also shown to relieve anxiety and stress, improve concentration, and enhance mental focus.
Improves Your Posture
Prolonged sitting is one of the main causes of bad posture. When you sit for hours, your muscles become tight, pulling the bones slightly out of alignment, Stretching helps reduce muscle tension and prevent postural disorders.
Boosts Cardiovascular Health
Research indicates that stretching improves the elasticity of blood vessels, leading to better cardiovascular health. At the same time, it increases blood flow to the heart muscle and prepares your cardiovascular system for the upcoming physical activity.
Increases Flexibility and Range of Motion
By stretching regularly, you’ll keep your joints flexible and enjoy greater range of motion. The benefits are immediate. In the long run, you will be able to perform more advanced exercises without having to worry about injuries.
There are many other benefits associated with stretching. This habit not only gives you that flexy feeling, but also builds and elongates your muscles, relieves joint pain, and boosts the feel good chemicals in your brain.
