There are many benefits to regular stretching. Stretching helps increase your flexibility - an important factor of fitness - but it also improves your posture, reduces stress, body aches, and much more.
Regular stretching increases your flexibility, which is crucial for your overall health. Improved flexibility helps you perform everyday activities with relative ease, plus it also helps delay the reduced mobility that can come with aging.
Being able to move a joint through its full range of motion gives you more freedom of movement. Stretching on a regular basis will increase your range of motion.
Both static and dynamic stretching are effective when it comes to increasing range of motion. Static stretches involve holding a stretch in a comfortable position for a period of time. Typically, between 10 and 30 seconds. This form of stretching is most beneficial after you exercise. Dynamic stretches are active movements that cause your muscles to stretch, but the stretch is not held in the end position. These stretches are usually done before exercise to get your muscles ready for movement and have been shown to help prepare muscles for the activity. It may also help improve your performance in an athletic event or exercise.
Performing stretches on a regular basis improves circulation & increases blood flow to your muscles, which shortens your recovery time and reduces muscle soreness (commonly labeled delayed onset muscle soreness).
Muscle imbalances are common and can lead to poor posture. It has been proven that a combination of strengthening and stretching specific muscle groups helps reduce musculoskeletal pain and encourages proper alignment. This, in turn, can help improve your posture.
Tight muscles lead to a decrease in your range of motion. When this happens, you increase the likelihood of straining the muscles in your back. Stretching can help heal an existing back injury by stretching the muscles. A regular stretching routine can also help prevent future back pain by strengthening your back muscles and reducing your risk for muscle strain.
When you’re experiencing stress, there’s a good chance your muscles are also tense. This is because your muscles tend to tighten up in response to physical and emotional stress. Focus your stretching on areas of your body where you tend to hold your stress, such as your neck, shoulders, and upper back
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