The Benefits Of Stretching

The Benefits Of Stretching

 

Why you should be doing it every day

As we age, the muscles in our bodies become tighter and the joints stiffer. Even when you’re young, if you’re active or working out, it will result in tightening of the muscles too, which minimises range of motion.  

The solution? Regular stretching! It’s an easy activity that can have profound results. If you’re training, this is the part of your exercise regime that you should never skip. For general wellbeing, you should be doing some light stretching every day regardless of whether you worked out or not.  

Need convincing? Here are some of the awesome benefits of stretching: 

 

 Increased flexibility and range of motion 

One of the biggest benefits of stretching is that it allows you to increase your flexibility and therefore improve your range of motion. That means your joints and limbs will be able to move further before a strain or injury happens. 

 Aid in workout recovery 

Stretching post-exercise helps condition the muscles and can aid in recovery, decrease muscle soreness, and promote muscle and tendon health. In turn, this helps your overall training by allowing you to recover faster, train harder and prevent injury.  

Improved circulation 

Stretching improves circulation, bringing a health blood supply to the muscles and joints. This increased blood circulation helps to bring nutrients to these areas of the body, whilst also assisting with the removal of waste products.  

Higher energy levels  

You also can experience increased energy levels as a result of better circulation. Good circulation helps to oxygenate and energise the body. 

Better posture 

Poor posture can often be caused or exacerbated by chronically tight muscles. Stretching can prevent or alleviate this tightness, comfortably allowing for good posture. Stretching the lower back, chest and shoulder muscles are especially good for this. 

Relaxation and stress relief 

It is very common for stress to manifest physically in the body with tight muscles, as we hold tension in them. Regular stretching of the muscle groups where you hold onto stress, most commonly around the neck and shoulders, can help promote relaxation and create a sense of wellbeing as you undo the physical component of the tension.