Stretching is one type of exercise which is aimed to deliberately lengthen the muscles. You can easily do it by bending your body into some different positions. As a matter of fact, there are more movements involved in stretching exercises rather than just bending and positioning body in some different ways to stretch the muscles.

Stretching is very beneficial. This exercise is able to make your body more flexible. It is able to increase the mobility of joints. In addition, this exercise is able to improve blood circulation, prevent the injuries due to the weight training or some other sports or exercises. The most important thing is that it is able to help you relieve your stress.

A recent research shows flexible body has less risk to suffer soreness in muscles even after intense exercise. The research also shows that less flexible and stiff muscles have a greater chance of sustaining damage in the fiber of the muscle during the sprain of intense weight training exercise or any other activities which involve the muscles. For this reason, stretching exercise is very significant to helping incorporate your muscle during workout routine.

However, there are some techniques which you have to do before stretching. Those techniques include the warming up. This is very beneficial to train your muscle before the real exercise so that it will not be exposed to the risk of straining. The warming up activity you can do include the cardio exercise such as walking on treadmill, jogging or riding your bike for around 5 minutes.

If you experience muscle pain, you should not make it as the point of your stretching exercise. If you use it as the point of your exercise, you will expose it to more injure to your connective tissues. In addition, while stretching, you should be able to focus on the muscles being stretched.

Doing exercise in slow and gentle movements will be more effective because it can lead to injuring joints and tissues. In addition, stretching will be very beneficial to do before the real workout since it is able to prepare your muscle for more intense activity. You can also do it after your exercise as a way of cooling down. It can be very soothing and relaxing.

Furthermore, another most important stretching technique you have to keep in mind is to hold the stretch for about 10 or 15 seconds. If you do longer than that defined time, you may lead yourself to over stretching joints or tendons. Keeping the rule of the exercise will be more beneficial for you.