Lee’s Summit fitness friends don’t feel out of shape and sore. Here are some tips on stretching from Life Transformations Fitness Personal Trainer, Molly Wichman. Try it out!
Stretching… Just Do It
Did you know that stretching can be as important as exercise? It can be hard to add stretching into your daily fitness routine, but it does have many benefits.
Some of the benefits of stretching are increase flexibility and range of motion, improve posture, increase blood flow and reducing muscle soreness.
Here are some tips to help make stretching part of your daily routine.
Wait on your stretch
Your muscles should be warm before you begin to stretch. Keep your regular warmup before a workout. This should be something to get the blood flowing to your muscles. Stretch after the workout when your muscles are already warm. A brisk walk or swing arms in circles are great warmup movements.
Post Workout Stretch
Instead of trying to stretch your whole body after every time you exercise (unless you have time), focus on an area of the body each time. If you have tight muscles, then focus on stretching those muscles. However if you have time, try a full body stretch.
Here is an easy full body stretch that can take 10 minutes. Find a good area in the gym to stretch. I like the upright bike. You can adjust the seat to hip height.
Hamstrings- Place foot on seat, keep leg straight, lean forward to stretch, stationary leg is on floor.
Hips- Place foot on seat, bend knee so leg in in L shape, lean forward to stretch, stationary leg is on floor.
Quads- Stand facing away from bike, bend foot to glutes, hook toes on bike seat, lean backwards into stretch.
Shoulders- Hold onto bike handles with both hands, keep arms straight, lean forward will upper body is parallel to floor.
Chest- Hold bike handles with one arm, (arm away from body), keep arm straight and lean away from handle.
Back- Hold bike handles with one arm (arm in front of body), keep arm straight and lean towards handle.
Back- Bend knees, hold under bike seat with one arm, fall further into squat.
*While stretching, make sure the equipment is fastened to the ground or stable. Do not pull equipment on top of you. Always keep joints soft, not locked out. A good stretch is held for 30 seconds or more. Stretch at your own level, don’t push too hard.