You’ve decided: stretching is the sport for you! With high morale and your equipment ready, behold the little trick you need to assure the success of your new workout. Don’t forget that often a workout failure has a simple explanation: the exercises haven’t been performed correctly, but they haven’t been consequent either.
1) It’s recommended that your stretching routine include 2 or 3 weekly sessions for at least 15 minutes. The best time to do this workout routine is when we feel in shape, especially between 14-16, when our flexibility reaches its peak.
2) The place where the session takes place is important! Make sure that the room is aired but warm (at least 68 degrees), and the music is relaxing.
3) Even though the exercises are apparently mild you shouldn’t skip your warm up. This is essential! Time to remember what you did in school. Those 10 minutes from the beginning of each workout should contain a mix of warm up exercises including the fingers and joints and some aerobics.
4) The exercises are done slowly with your muscles well stretched after warming up. Don’t think about work unfinished problems. To fully enjoy the benefits of this time of motion, each exercise needs to be done at least 2 times and 5 the most for each side.
5) In the few tens of seconds that each exercise takes concentrate on moving, and on each muscle group and on it’s relaxing and tonic effects. Take a 10 second break between exercises. Concentration is important because of your mind is working together with your body the effect is guaranteed!
6) Stretching focuses a great deal on breathing! Practicing it will remind you how to breathe correctly. So take a deep breath thru the nose and exhale twice as long out the mouth, realizing at the same time your abdomen’s contraction. This way even the asthmatic can benefit from improved respiration quality.
7) Someone who hasn’t exercised in a while will notice that they’re pretty stiff, and the first sessions will make you feel each stretch. Don’t despair results won’t be late to appear!
8) The order of execution is important too; you will slowly move from the upper body to the lower body, doing 1-2 exercises for each muscle group. While doing leg exercises bend your knees slightly to protect your spine.
9) After a set of ground exercises, don’t get on your feet two fast, but thru a couple of intermediate minutes of relaxing and sitting.
10) You need to take into account that some postures can be uncomfortable in not painful. Don’t force your joints, progress slowly. If you get a sharp pain, stop! You can pick up your exercises another day
For more information on stretching and its benefits you can check out:
- The Health Benefits of Stretching
- Static Stretching For Relaxation
- Dynamic Stretching Is Great For Warming Up
- Office stretching to get the blood moving
- Stretching for mobility and flexibility
February 4, 2010
Exercise & Fitness