Many people ignore the stretching part and directly jump into the hardcore training session, whereas others feel that simple stretching may not bring a significant difference. Any trainer would highlight how important these little stretching sessions are for the subsequent training session and overall health in general.
Early morning stretching can help relieve the stress build-up in the body and relax the muscles. A slight stretch before you get up from the bed can help you wake your body up to face the day! If you plan to do workouts, do not avoid stretching at all! You can ditch stretching if you have an alternate source of warming up. Though a stretching session will not guarantee any accidents, your body will be better prepared to take the stress.
You can also end your day with a light stretching session, bringing your body to an absolute state of relaxation improving your sleep sessions. Keep them as the last part of the before going to bed ritual to get the maximum benefit.
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Ways To Stretch Daily
There are a lot of ways to stretch. There are many ifs and buts that you should address before sticking to one from static stretching to dynamic stretching. If you have any history of muscle injury, seek medical advice before practicing any exercise to avoid stress. If you are into competitive sports, refer to your trainers for the stretching guide.
However, for the rest of the people who want to add some stretching to your routine, here is an essential fifteen-minute exercise to warm up your entire body! Feel free to skip the last two steps if you want a light stretching exercise.
Start With The Neck
Whether seated or standing, relieve the stress on your neck muscle by gently tugging it in either direction. Place your right hand on your head and gently pull your head towards your right shoulder. Keep the other hand along the body or behind the back. Pull till you feel a stretch and hold for twenty seconds. Release and repeat on the other side. Gently rotate your neck from one end to the other. Do for three to five times each.
Move To Your Shoulders And Hands
Rotate your hands in a clockwise direction for 30 seconds. Then switch to the other hand. Repeat the session but in counterclockwise order.
Stretch your hands by bringing your right arm across the body. Hold the right arm with your left hand just above the elbow. Push the left hand to draw the right arm towards your body. Do alternatively for fifteen seconds each for five sets.
Move Your Hips
Keep your hands on your hips and rotate them clockwise and counterclockwise for a minute each. Keep your legs a little apart with hands stuck along the sides. Gently lift one hand over the head towards the other side as you bend the body. Hold for five seconds and repeat on the other side.
Stand upright and hold your hands up—breath in as you stretch upwards, standing on your toes. Keep your feet a little apart with your toes facing front. Keep the arms open at your shoulder level sideways. Exhale as you come down and try to touch your toes. Inhale and then exhale as you touch your left toes with your right hand without bending the knees. Repeat alternatively with ten touches each per session.
Work On The Legs
Set yourself in a crouch position. Slowly bring forward the right leg and rest the arms on it, making a right angle with the body while the left leg assumes a slant position. Make sure to keep your back straight and hold for thirty seconds. Switch to the other leg and repeat. Repeat the stretch four times on each side. Stretch your ankles by moving them up and down a few times.
Five Minutes Of Dynamic Stretching
Add an assortment of exercises here to let your body warm up. You can add side shuffle or carioca or lunge walk and twist to the regime. Move towards high intense ones like jumping on the spot, crisscrossing to the final minutes.
Conclusion
If you are new to exercise with some history of diseases, it is better to have a certified personal trainer to guide you through the stretching sessions. It is important not to strain yourself during the stretching and let your body naturally attain flexibility over time. There is no thumb rule on some exercises being better than others. Depending on your flexibility and area of interest, you can add or delete activities as you wish.
