Stretching Flexibility Exercises
Most people perform cardio and weight training but leave out flexibility. Bad posture and pain is a result of tight muscles and poor flexibility.
Your muscles can become tight due to repetitive movements including sitting for long periods. When you perform any movement that requires a tight muscle to work as the primary mover, other muscles will compensate and become week.
This becomes a continuing cycle leading to pain and eventually injury. Flexibility and strengthening exercises can correct these imbalances and not only relieve pain but prevent injury.
Benefits of flexibility ...
- Flexibility improves posture
- Improves joint range of motion
- Reduces the risk of injury
- Prepares your muscles before a workout
- Helps your muscles recover after a workout
- Relieves pain
- Counteracts aging
- Reduces stress
- BEST of all, It feels great!
You can perform flexibility exercises anywhere and anytime of day and perform them every day of the week. Unlike weight training you don't have to rest a day in between workouts. Aim to do them at least 3 times a week.
Whether you're a beginner, intermediate or advanced you should incorporate some form of flexibility into your fitness routine.
Static stretching can be performed at all levels of training and is the best place to start. Incorporate them before and after workouts or on off days while you're watching TV.
Foam roller exercises are a form of self-massage. This technique is used to relieve knots in your muscles. All levels of training can benefit from using the foam roll technique, also known as self myofacial release.
Active Stretching exercises are a form of active isolated stretching used only when you have no muscle imbalances and as a warm up before working out.