Many or today's society have muscular imbalances due to repetitive daily movements leading to pain and injury. Repetitive movements such as sitting for long periods, standing, driving, or anything else that you do all day repetitively places undue stress on the body. Muscular imbalances result in poor joint movement, inappropriate muscle functioning and decreased neuromuscular control. Start with static stretching to improve these imbalances.
No matter what your fitness lever or your age, you can benefit from static stretching. Stretching will improve neuromuscular efficiency, improve joint range of motion, and improve the overall function of muscles. This helps to prevent injury and relieve pain.
You can perform static stretching exercises during a warm up or cool down or both. During a warm up, stretching prepares your muscles for the activity and prevents injury. Stretching after a workout increases flexibility, improves joint range of motion, and aids in muscle recovery after a workout. It also prevents and reduces muscle soreness after intense workouts.
If you lead a sedentary lifestyle or you don't exercise, it is even more important that you perform static stretching and flexibility exercises. Only stretch to a point of slight tension and hold the stretch for at least 30 seconds.
Static, Active, Dynamic, and SMR with a foam roll are a few different forms of flexibility training. The most common is static stretching. Static stretches require that you hold a stretch for a minimum of 20 to 30 seconds. It helps to improve flexibility by lengthening the muscles being stretched. Static stretches are best for correcting muscular imbalances and is the best place to start.
SMR or self myofacial release is also a great form of corrective stretching to address muscular imbalances and can be combined with static stretching. This technique uses a foam roll to place pressure on "knots" or sensitive areas of a muscle. The pressure increases blood flow to the area and straightens bundled muscle fibers, which leads to lengthening of the muscles. This can be done by rolling on a foam roll and holding on a sensitive area until the sensitivity is reduced.
Active stretching and dynamic stretching are another form of stretching. They should be performed only as a warm up prior to exercise and stretches are held for very short durations with several repetitions. Perform static stretching as part of your cool down.
Improving your flexibility and performing some static stretching exercises will not only feel great but will improve your posture, reduce your risk of injury, relieve pain, counteract aging, improve muscle recovery after workouts and reduce stress. - 16003
No matter what your fitness lever or your age, you can benefit from static stretching. Stretching will improve neuromuscular efficiency, improve joint range of motion, and improve the overall function of muscles. This helps to prevent injury and relieve pain.
You can perform static stretching exercises during a warm up or cool down or both. During a warm up, stretching prepares your muscles for the activity and prevents injury. Stretching after a workout increases flexibility, improves joint range of motion, and aids in muscle recovery after a workout. It also prevents and reduces muscle soreness after intense workouts.
If you lead a sedentary lifestyle or you don't exercise, it is even more important that you perform static stretching and flexibility exercises. Only stretch to a point of slight tension and hold the stretch for at least 30 seconds.
Static, Active, Dynamic, and SMR with a foam roll are a few different forms of flexibility training. The most common is static stretching. Static stretches require that you hold a stretch for a minimum of 20 to 30 seconds. It helps to improve flexibility by lengthening the muscles being stretched. Static stretches are best for correcting muscular imbalances and is the best place to start.
SMR or self myofacial release is also a great form of corrective stretching to address muscular imbalances and can be combined with static stretching. This technique uses a foam roll to place pressure on "knots" or sensitive areas of a muscle. The pressure increases blood flow to the area and straightens bundled muscle fibers, which leads to lengthening of the muscles. This can be done by rolling on a foam roll and holding on a sensitive area until the sensitivity is reduced.
Active stretching and dynamic stretching are another form of stretching. They should be performed only as a warm up prior to exercise and stretches are held for very short durations with several repetitions. Perform static stretching as part of your cool down.
Improving your flexibility and performing some static stretching exercises will not only feel great but will improve your posture, reduce your risk of injury, relieve pain, counteract aging, improve muscle recovery after workouts and reduce stress. - 16003
About the Author:
Gina Gardi is a NASM certified personal trainer and owner of Strength Training Website which offers sample workouts and fitness information. Get sample Stretching Flexibility Exercises that include static, foam roll and active stretching, complete with images and instructions.
