Most people don’t get all the awesome benefits that stretching has to offer! Why is that you might ask? Simply because they don’t do it. I for one am right there with you most of the time. Your workout just ended, you’re exhausted, thirsty and ready to hop in the shower but wait! You could stretch..nah next time! It’s a split second decision that doesn’t seem anywhere near as important as the earlier mentioned shower or water. But it is!
No, skipping stretching will not kill you. But you could be enjoying so many great stretching benefits just from taking an extra 5 minutes to do it!(scroll to the bottom of this post to get straight to the stretches:))
Stretching Benefits..Is It Even Worth It?
Yes, yes, yes it is worth it! Think of how little 5 minutes is! And honestly even less time can help. Here’s just a few of the things stretching can do for you:
-Reduce muscular tension
-Improve performance- stretching will help to maintain full range of motion rather than being tighterIn and constricted.
-Reduce muscle soreness and fatigue by helping them to recover faster
-Helps your body cool down gradually. Stretching right after a workout helps to allow your body to unwind and cool down more gradually after a workout than immediately dropping to the ground and laying there for 5 minutes.
-Flexibility-Stretching will gradually help to increase your flexibility which is helpful during your workouts in the long run. Being flexibly(and I’m not saying crazy excessive flexibility here) will allow your body to have a more complete range of motion in the movements that you do during workouts. Maybe stretching regularly will allow you to go that last half an inch to make your squat 90 degrees? It could happen!
Stretching Benefits Through Yoga
Using yoga to stretch is awesome. There are poses that can literally reach every part of your body! If you feel tight somewhere you can probably google a yoga pose to help!(crazy awesome!) And it keeps it interesting! Here are a few of my short yoga stretch routines I have come to love:
Cure Tight Hips with Yoga
Chest and Shoulder Yoga
Pillow Yoga
Anyways, this stretching routine is not yoga at all but it is a full body stretch that is great to use after any workout! Go through the sequence 2-3 times getting into each stretch deep enough to feel it but not so deep that it hurts! Hold each one for 10-20 seconds and switch sides before moving on to the next position. So, take that extra 3-5 minutes and enjoy the stretch!
