That’s Stretching It – Enhancing Your Workout by Stretching

When people commit to a new workout regimen, they often think about the exercise itself. Far too few consider the preparation to engage in physical activity. Without properly warming up the body, you are at greater risk for injury when you exercise, train, or work out. Stretching is an important part of the warm-up process. Not only will it help to prevent injury, but it will also make sure that you get the most out of your workout by making sure that your body gets maximum benefits from exercising. Stretching before exercising is an important practice that can enhance your exercise experience.

Stretching warms the muscles and connective tissues. Consider the difference between a piece of refrigerated meat and a piece of meat that has warmed to room temperature. The room temperature meat is much more pliable and moves more easily than the cold meat. This principle is also true of your muscles and connective tissue. The warmer you are, the easier it’ll be to move. Warmth increases the speed at which your muscles contract, causing them to react and respond more readily. And stretching also increases your range of motion, which guarantees that you can work to the fullest extent of your physical ability without overexerting yourself.

Since different stretches affect different muscle groups, you should try a variety of different stretches in order to stretch as many different muscles as possible. To stretch your legs, stand up and try to touch your toes. This will stretch your hamstrings, calves, and glutes. Then, standing, pick up one foot and pull it back towards your glutes. This will stretch your quads. Then, try spreading your legs as far apart as you can and stretch down towards the ground. This will stretch your inner thighs. You can also try different stretches for those same muscle groups, such as lunges or a butterfly sit.

You can also stretch your upper body. Clasp both hands behind your back and then stretch them back as far as you can, raising your hands as high as you can. This will stretch your biceps. Straighten one arm across your body and use your other arm to pull it as close to your body as you can. Repeat on the other side. This will stretch your triceps. And once you’re done stretching, you’re ready to exercise. After you’re done exercising, you can stretch, too. It will relax and balance tension in your muscles. Stretch both before and after exercising to reap the full benefits of stretching.