The Relevance of Flexibility and Stretching
While writing this post I felt it necessary to discuss flexibility as well as make people aware that it is an essential part of the health and fitness program. Getting enough space also enables us to bend and twist our bodies without having to struggle with tight muscles that cause body aches. Flexibility is the degree to which your muscles and joints can move and stretching assists in lengthening some of these muscles that have been shortened making your joints move more freely.
Performing exercises that work out all the major muscles in the body, it is always important to stretch and exercise all the muscles in the body to prevent injury and keep mobility to a high standard while preventing muscle tension and soreness. Flexibility further enhances the musculoskeletal disposition, and blood circulation and minimizes designs predisposing to low back pain and stress.
While there are countless stretching exercises to choose from, the following 5 are highly effective for boosting whole-body flexibility:
1. Standing Quad Stretch
The type of muscles that are involved in the front of your thighs are known as the quadriceps Williams and they are used in functions of walking, running as well as climbing up the stairs. This causes more tension as the muscles around the thigh, particularly those in the quadricep area pull on the kneecap making the situation worse by causing more inflammation and pain. The quads are loosened by stretching, which reduces your knee problems and makes it easier for you to get around.
How to do it:
– Get up from your chair and with your hand on a nearby wall brought forward to support you. Take one foot off the ground and rotate it around, by holding your foot with the hand and flexing your knee toward the buttock.
Do not bend your knees or spread them apart, and do not arch or twist your back while lifting weights.
- Keep it for about 30 seconds and slowly let it go then, repeat the same with the other leg. Complete 2-3 sets per side.
2. Seated Straddle
Apart from that, seated straddle holds the ability to work our inner thighs and groins in addition to the lateral hip structure, all in one motion. The marked improvement in side-to-side mobility less tension in the sciatic nerve and tightness in the lower back can be attributed to opening these areas.
How to do it:
- Kneel on the floor with legs extended forward and maintain good posture from head down to your toes.
It can be done by standing with your feet as wide as you can while maintaining your backbone erect.
Slide your hands forward while your feet are together in the same position as a sitting position until a moderate stretch is felt in the inner thighs and groins.
- Hold the position for 30 seconds, rest for another 15 seconds, and lean slightly forward to increase muscle stretch. Repeat 3 times.
3. Chest and Shoulder Opener
We spend most of our time sitting both at work and in our cars, holding our devices in front of our chest which all leads to poor posture and tight chest muscles. Pec and front shoulder zones are constantly tight and stretching can prevent “hunchback” kinds of posture, alleviate neck and upper back pain, and increase the arm's range of motion.
How to do it:
Stand with arms outstretched in front, hands on a wall at shoulder height, and facing the wall. Go ahead and take another step forward until you can feel the tightness across your chest. Each arm’s angle should be at 90 degrees with its elbow.
Keep the spine close to the floor as you check your chest into the corner and hold that position for 30 seconds. Focus on moving your shoulders all the way back up from your ears.
Release, shake out your arms, and do this two more times. Turn the face and body the other way and do the exercise again to address flexible muscle balance.
4. Butterfly Stretch
The butterfly, also known as the bent knee groin stretch, widens your hips and thighs to facilitate everyday squats and bends. This stretch is also beneficial for sciatica pain and well as tension in the lower back region.
How to do it:
; Stand with your legs straight, and sit with your rear on your heels and feet together with the toes pointing towards the midline of your body. Hug your shins, wrap your arms around your legs, or place your hands at the back of your head and cross your arms under your legs.
With your elbows, push your thighs down towards the floor still holding onto the heels until you get a nice stretch in the inner thighs and groin.
- Hold for 30 seconds. Lift it slightly and then breathe in as deeply as possible, then press down to increase the stretch. Repeat 3 total times.
5. Child’s Pose
The child’s pose is one of the best actions or stretches in yoga and reaches several areas of the body such as the hips, thighs, ankles, back, and shoulders. As you maintain this posture for a few breaths, it reduces your nervous system activity and prepares the body for relaxation while improving the difficult-to-achieve arcs of movement and breaking up the postural patterns thus acting as an active isolated stretch.
How to do it:
– Stand with the sole of your big toe touching each other at the back behind you and then bend on your knees down to the floor. Widen your legs slightly to shoulder width apart as feel your hips lower down your heels, and take the full motion of the arms ahead. Relax your upper body and find yourself sitting on your hips and pelvis.
- It's all about moving your upper body down on your quads and trying to push your tailbone up to get a good stretch in your lower back aching region.
Before returning to an upright kneel with your hands, take 5- 10 slow full breaths through your nose. Repeat 2 more times.
Ideally, every stretch should be kept for at least thirty seconds; using force to get a deeper stretch is not advised. Swallow air in an orderly manner in each phase of the progression and cease at once if you experience sensations of pinching.
Do remember to stretch your muscles frequently not only when exercising but also at other daily activities to maintain free gluability and eliminate any pain possible. Instead, focus and make these 5 highly effective stretches for increasing total-body flexibility over time a priority. Ideally, it should become a routine by all means, so that one can attempt practicing a short flexibility routine in their lifestyle.
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