Stretching exercise benefits are often overlooked in the fitness world. Many older cultures and civilizations use the power of stretching for their overall wellness. Exercises such as yoga and tai chi use stretching for benefits of the doer. This taken with breathing techniques makes stretching one of the most invigorating exercises ever known to man.
The Benefits of Stretching Exercises
There many benefits that stretching exercises the individual.
* Stretching increase an individual’s physical benefits and flexibility.
* Stretching improves one’s dexterity in doing activities and increasing one’s learning capacity.
* Stretching relaxes the body and mind.
* Stretching increases one’s physical awareness.
* Stretching strengthens the body to increase the ability to avoid injuries to the muscles, tendons and joints.
* Stretching increases blood flow to the body, thus keeping the body soft and supple.
* Stretching prepares the body for high intensity activities.
* Stretching exercises remove tension from the muscles as the body produces hormones that help the connective tissues to be soft and malleable.
* Stretching provide workouts with the least amount of impact and stress on the body.
* Stretching exercises require neither special equipment nor special memberships to do.
Stretching Procedures You Can Do
These sample exercises can be done right in your own home. With these, you can feel the benefits that stretching promises you.
1. The Back Stretch. Kneel on your hands and knees. Then you put your chin to your chest and then curl up so that your back rounds up. Count to ten while in this position and then release. The next step is to try to push your chest and stomach to the floor to again stretch your back for ten counts. You are doing right when you feel the back muscles stretch.
2. The Torso Stretch. Stand up with feet shoulder wide apart. You do the stretch by bending to the side of your torso with the arm of the side stretched over your head. Hold the position for at least ten counts for maximum benefit.
3. The Hamstring Stretch. Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Bend your knees slightly and then bend forward at the hips and reach for your ankles. The tension should be felt at the back of the legs as you hold the position for ten counts. Don’t bounce while you stretch as this may cause muscle tear.
Stretching exercises have many benefits for the individual. Doing stretching provides many hormonal benefits, as well as makes the muscles work with the least amount of stress. You will feel the blood flow as you stretch and doing these stretching exercises won’t cost you much. So when you feel low and blue, do some stretching exercises to perk you up big time.
