Whether you exercise or not, stretching is a must for everyone. Before you groan and dismiss this as something you haven’t got time for, hear us out! It’s quick; can be done anywhere; and it’s vital for staying mobile and reducing aches and pains. Here’s the lowdown on the benefits and ways to do it.
Stretching involves lengthening and elongating a specific muscle, or muscle group, to enhance its flexibility, elasticity and range of motion. In short, it loosens muscles to stop them feeling tight and stiff. Quite often people don’t think to stretch until something aches, however proactive, preventative stretching has the following benefits: – increased range of motion, prevention of aches and pains, reduced risk of injury, improved exercise performance, stress relief and relaxation.
Day to day activities (such as walking, gardening, carrying heavy loads) and/or exercise have a huge impact on our muscles. Muscles become shorter and stiffer, which leads to muscular pain, spasms and reduced movement. Stretching will lengthen muscle fibres and realign any disorganised fibres. Lengthened, organised muscle fibres equals relaxed, pain-free muscles and greater mobility. Sounds good to us!
Stretching after a workout is essential. It improves blood flow to help muscles repair and recover; reduces lactic acid build up which is thought to cause post exercise muscle soreness; and allows time for cool down and relaxation after exercise exertion. In unison, daily stretching is very beneficial. If you’re short on time, fitting in a couple of short stretches here and there is, undoubtedly, better than nothing. A calf & quad stretch while the kettle’s boiling. Seated hamstring stretches whilst watching TV, it’s all for the greater good. Of course, if you can dedicate just 10 minutes, two or three times a week, to a full body stretch, this will instil some calm time to focus in and unlock the relaxation properties of a stretch.
Stretching can be done in two ways. ‘Dynamic’ which uses movement to stretch, moving through a range of motion to loosen and elongate muscles, and ‘Static’ which involves holding a position for 15-30 seconds, during which time the muscle relaxes and lengthens. Both should be done slowly and without force, and it’s important to know that stretching can sometimes feel uncomfortable, but it should never be painful. Here’s a few guidelines to help get the most out of your stretching. Work slowly and smoothly, without force or jerking. Breathe normally and freely and when in a deeper stretch emphasise the exhale. Visualise the muscle and imagine it becoming relaxed and elongated. Feel the stretch and appreciate how it is benefiting your body.
Like all good things, it takes time to reap the rewards. Let stretching become an enjoyable part of your weekly routine, and in a few weeks, you’ll start to appreciate greater mobility, flexibility and fewer aches and pains.