Stretching is normally placed on the bottom of the task list, only enjoyed by gym nuts and yogis alike but this habit isn’t just some new craze, it’s something that can benefit all.
Improve posture
After spending a long day hunched over a computer, reminding yourself to straighten up doesn’t cut it anymore. Poor posture doesn’t happen overnight. Overtime, a muscular imbalance occurs where some muscles become tight and overused whilst others become weak and underused. Adding a short stretching routine is a sure way to combat a neck hunch!
Reduce pain
We’ve all experienced muscle aches, whether you went too hard on yesterday’s workout or you slept on your pillow wrong. When muscles pull on joints creating tension during exercise or movement, they’re likely to feel a throb (known as delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS) after. By doing exercise specific stretches, this will help alleviate some of that post workout soreness.
Injury prevention
For most of us it takes something to go ‘Ouch!’ before we do something. However, stretching is a big help in injury prevention. When muscles shorten and become tight, this increases the chances of strains, sprains and joint pains. Especially when training, a limited range of motion can cause poor form which can lead to injury. So be sure to add a stretching routine that focuses on injury prevention and better mobility!
Move better
Mobility routines aren’t a new fad in the fitness world, but a crucial part of injury prevention and moving better. With limited mobility, moving starts to feel uncomfortable and clunky with the tightness of muscles making you feel stuck. Making mobility a part of your life isn’t just for making sure your form is on point in the gym but also a great way to make movement feel better in your day to day life.
Reduce Stress and Tension
With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, stress is high. Believe it or not but stretching is a powerful stress reliever and a great way to look after your body and mind. Gentle stretches help lower heart rate and calm the nervous system whilst relaxing the body. Instead of focusing on the body alone, use a stretching routine to encourage mindfulness and to decrease stress.
Conclude
With these points in mind hopefully this encourages you to start stretching, I would recommend starting small. Think “baby steps’ doing gentle stretches focusing on regularity working on areas to improve posture and crucial for mobility
By Sabrina Donnavo
About Sabrina Donnavo
Working in the personal training world, I stumbled upon StretchLab through a coworker. After a few stretches with them, I was working at StretchLab. I have always enjoyed helping people feel better working as a PT. It was seeing people achieve their strength or weight goals, and now it’s seeing people reach their mobility goals. Other than working at StretchLab, I love to keep up with my strength training.
