Doing stretching work is just as crucial for a well-rounded fitness routine as cardio and strength work. Including some stretching exercises in your daily workout will help you reduce tightness, improve flexibility, and finally, make your activities more safe and efficient. Flexibility is an integral part of health and fitness. Everyday activities would be much more challenging without the ability to bend over, squat, or twist.
Incorporating a stretching schedule into your daily routine can improve your flexibility and motion. You can also improve performance in everyday tasks and even sports. Stretching helps decrease pain and prevent injury associated with muscle tightness. You can enhance the flexibility of specific muscles as well as the entire body with these simple exercises.
Downward Dog
This yoga pose focuses on shoulder and hip mobility while stretching your hamstrings, deltoids (muscles in your shoulders), and lats (muscles in your mid-back). Begin plank position with shoulders over wrists. Push your hips up and form a triangle body. Straighten your legs as much as possible and keep your head between your arms. Spread your fingers, and reach your heels toward the floor. Evenly distribute your weight through the feet and hands. Continuously move between downward dog and plank position.
Glutes Stretches
These stretches are great to relieve back pain as they help in opening up tight hips. You could use a foam roller (simple tools that help you stretch effectively and efficiently) for glutes stretches. Extend your legs straight and try the seated spinal twist. Pace your right heel close to your sit-bone and bend your right knee. Put your right arm behind you and place your palms on the ground. And your left hand on your right knee and pull the knee gently to the left. Hold for 30 seconds, then release. Repeat it with the other leg.
Shoulder Stretches
Shoulder rotations and rolls are the best to give relief for tight shoulders. Another stretch that does excellently is the cow-face pose. Straight your right arm and then bend it behind your head. While bending your elbow, move your left arm behind your back. Try to reach and stretch the right-hand fingertips with your left arm. Repeat with the other hand. It increases the pressure on the joints and soft tissues in the shoulder area and if you have a sitting job. This stretch leads to less stiff shoulders. As the shoulder is a part of your back, neck, and ribs, the whole area depends on the ligaments’ exercise and the shoulder muscles.
Standing Side Stretch
Stand with your toes together and lift your arms overhead. Hold your hands and twist your fingers. Exhale and bend your upper body toward the right and inhale and reach upward, and hold for five seconds. Exhale and return to the position. Repeat on the left side.
Neck Stretches
You may have a sitting job, or you may have slept in the wrong position, but that pain in the neck is annoying as well as causing headaches and back pain. For instant relief, stretch the sides of the neck. Try the back neck stretch to reach your hands behind your back and hold your right wrist with your left hand. Straight your arms and pull away slightly. Hold for about 30 seconds, release, and switch hands.
Final Words
Active people, it may be great to do your stretches after your workout. Stretching daily for a few minutes can be useful and allow you to keep the normal range of motion throughout your life. Try incorporating these stretches to improve your flexibility and help back pain and poor posture in the future.
