Stretching and its benefits cannot be understated. Unfortunately, stretching is something that we all know we should do, but not nearly enough people find the time to do it. It is an activity that will help your body work for you, not against you. It will help increase blood flow and assist with the delivering of nutrients to your cartilage and muscles. Stretching is very important for flexibility, range of motion and injury prevention.
It will help you relax. Is a great way to decompress at the end of a long day and will do wonders for your mental health if you can apply it on a daily basis. Only benefits can come from regular stretching.
Read on for what some of those benefits can be.
Stretching Enables flexibility
Without over stating the obvious, the biggest benefit of stretching in improved flexibility and range of motion. With increased flexibility comes improvement in strength, but it also greatly reduces your risk of injury.
By improving your range of motion, your body requires less energy to make the same movements. You also will have more flexible joints and as a result reduce the likelihood of injuries that can occur during exercise or daily activities.
Sounds like a good benefit doesn’t it?
Stretching Promotes blood circulation
One of the great benefits or stretching is that it will increase blood flow to the muscles.
Why is this good?
Not only will this help reduce post-workout soreness and shorten recovery time, it will improve overall health. Greater blood circulation helps promote cell growth and organ function. The heart rate will also lower since it doesn’t have to work as hard and blood pressure will become more even and consistent. The better your heart and muscles can function, the better your quality of life will be.
Stretching will help Reduce muscle pain
Stretching before and after a workout gives your muscles time to relax. Increases in blood flow increase nutrient supply to the muscles and relieve soreness in the muscles after a workout.
The more efficient your body is at delivering vital nutrients, the better the chance that you will recover faster (and with less pain). Feeling a bit of pain after a workout is a nice thing, it tells us that we have worked hard. We do not want that feeling hanging around forever though, so in order to be ready for the next workout, it is always a good idea to have a stretch when you are done.
Stretching Improves posture
Stretching helps ensure correct posture by lengthening tight muscles. These tight muscles can pull areas of the body away from their intended position which can cause pain in the long run. Stretching can help ensure that these muscles remain relaxed.
Stretching the muscles of the lower back, chest and shoulders can help keep the spine in better alignment and improve overall posture by relieving aches and pains. With reduced pain, there is a reduced desire to hunch or slouch.
Stretching will give You more energy
When you stay still your blood tends to pool in the muscles. This can make you feel tired and sluggish. As soon as you move you nourish the muscles and improve your concentration levels as your brain gets improved blood flow.
Stretching can be used as a useful remedy to feeling tired, especially when you are at work, as it will promote blood flow and allow for the body to re-energise itself. Why do we always do a big stretch when we wake up in the morning?
Because it gets the heart pumping, the blood flowing and the body energised.
Stretching Cleanses the mind
Stretching reduces stress by loosening the muscles and relieving built up tension. It also releases endorphins in the brain that can induce a feeling of wellbeing and calmness.
It is also thought that stretching reduces stress through a mechanism similar to meditation or yoga in that it promotes a state of mindfulness. This is especially true for the muscles around your neck and shoulders – stretch these out in the evening for a good nights sleep.
In summary
The benefits of stretching certainly outweigh the time it takes to invest in it. We should all be stretching on a regular basis because we would all be better for it! The next time you sit down to watch tv, why don’t you have a stretch at the same time?
Your body will thank you for it in the long run.
Want To Learn More?
Since COVID-19 entered our lives, we have aimed to deliver some great weekly information as to how you can remain healthy, productive and in good spirits. This blog post is the latest addition to a growing library of information. Click to read more on our dedicated COVID support blogs.
Over the last 6 years Authentic Personal Training has established itself as a leading health and fitness studio on the Lower North Shore. We are incredibly proud to announce that we have been voted The Best Fitness Business on The North Shore for 2019.
Join us on our Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/authenticpersonaltraining/
To take advantage of our current offer with Sydney’s most experienced Personal Trainers, simply fill out the form below
