When is the last time you remembered to get a good stretch in after a hard workout? I'm guilty! The hardest part is remembering to stretch. It's so important to take care of your muscles after exercising, it’s the same concept as having the flu, and eating chicken noodle soup, tea and flu medicine. You need to nurse your muscles back to health.
Even when I do remember to stretch I’m usually in a hurry to leave the gym, so I'll only stretch each muscle for 10 seconds… bad idea. To really feel the effectiveness of a stretch you have to hold it for at least 30 seconds. That’s when your muscles get the true stretch.
Is stretching actually an important part of exercise? Absolutely! Stretching helps you with:
Improves flexibility and range of motion
Correct Posture
Decrease in potential injury
Blood and nutrients can get to your muscles easier
By improving in all these areas, your muscle soreness will reduce and you will be able to perform better at the gym and in your everyday activities.
If you feel you don’t have time when you’re done your workout, make it apart of your workout, and incorporate just like you would an extra set a bicep curls. All it takes is 10 minutes to get a great stretch in, and feel 10x better when leaving the gym.
Check out some simple stretches on my library page!