Benefits of stretching: How It Can Help You

Stretching out stiff muscles after you wake up in the morning or in the middle of the workday is a great way to release tension throughout your body. while a lot of people stretch simply because it feels good, there are a ton of other potential benefits of stretching that will encourage you to make this gentle form of movement a regular part of your routine.

Regular stretching can help you increase your flexibility which is a key component in your overall health. Improving your flexibility will allow you to perform everyday activities, whether small, like picking up a box, or big, like going skiing, with relative ease and with less risk of injury. If you’re able to stick with a regular stretching routine then you will see an increase in range of motion and also improvement in your performance. Having more range of motion can also help you perform a broader range of exercises and get better results from your workouts.

Benefits of stretching

Stretching can improve posture as tight muscles can cause poor posture. Specifically, the muscles of the chest, back and hips can cause poor posture if they are tight.

Many of us spend at least a portion of our day sitting at a computer or looking at a phone or tablet. The position that is typical with these activities is poor posture.

Stretching can help prevent injury because it will increase the range in which a muscle can move and the likelihood of injury decreases. Stretching before physical activity specifically helps prevent injury by bringing blood flow to the muscles, warming them up and decreasing any tightness they might have to prevent a strain or a tear.

If you have soreness in a muscle or muscle group from a recent workout or from a muscle strain then stretching can help relieve some of this discomfort. Many times when we are injured the muscles around the injury site tighten up as a protective response. By stretching these tight muscles out, pain and soreness can be alleviated.

The main benefits of stretching include:

1. Decreases muscle stiffness and increases range of motion.

2. May reduce your risk of injury

3. Helps relieve post-exercise aches and pains.

4. Improves posture

5. Helps reduce or manage stress.

6. Reduces muscular tension and enhances muscular relaxation.

7. Improves mechanical efficiency and overall functional performance

8. Prepares the body for the stress of exercise.

9. Promotes circulation

10. Decreases the risk of low-back pain.

Why is stretching so important

Each muscle contains stretch receptors and these stretch receptors send messages to the nerves that control muscle contractions. Benefits of stretching regular can train these stretch receptors to allow greater lengthening of muscles, causing increased flexibility in the process. Increased flexibility is vital for athletic performance as it can result in increased strength and easier movement. In addition to improving flexibility, stretching can also improve blood flow. Simple leg stretches can help improve the body’s blood flow as stretching makes the body release chemicals that expand the arteries, allowing for more blood to enter. The benefits of improved blood flow include shorter recovery times and reduced muscle soreness—an invaluable benefit for athletes constantly looking to achieve peak performance.

Stretching helps the mind

Another benefit of stretching is that stretching stimulates receptors in the nervous system that slow the production of stress hormones but did you know that stretching can also help your mind?

Fatigue, stress, and anxiety can cause the brain to slow down and make you think more slowly and find it more difficult to make decisions. Give your mind a mental break, breathe deeply, focus on the feel of the stretch. Release the built up emotions sitting inside of your muscles. Taking a few moments to treat yourself with kindness and compassion can help to relieve daily stress and anxiety.

Your body does more work throughout the day than you may even realize. Your organs, joints, and muscles all work together seamlessly so you can function at your optimum level. Because your body works so hard every day, it is important to take time to tend to it.

Healthy dieting and exercise are crucial habits to practice, so you can keep your body happy and healthy. Additionally, taking just a few minutes out of your day to stretch can have numerous positive effects on your body.

In order to gain the benefits of stretching, it’s important to stretch properly:

Warm up - Never stretch a cold muscle; it can result in injury. Instead, warm up with some cardiovascular activity prior to stretching. This will help make your muscles more pliable and conducive to stretching.

Breathe - Sometimes we’re inclined to hold our breath when stretching, but this is counterproductive because it results in tightness and resistance. Instead, breathe into a stretch. Breathe slowly and deeply. As you exhale, you may feel yourself naturally sink a little deeper into the stretch.

Be gentle - Never force a stretch. Instead, gently ease your way into a stretch and let your body dictate how far you can go. Flexibility will naturally increase over time—forcing a stretch will only result in injury, not increased flexibility.

Be consistent - The best way to build flexibility is with a consistent stretching routine. Aim for 3 to 5 days per week. If you commit to a stretching program, you will see results.

Stretching shouldn’t hurt - Stretching won’t necessarily feel comfortable, but it should never hurt. If your stretch feels painful then back off. If you feel any burning, numbness, or tingling while stretching, you’re probably stretching a nerve, in which case you should pull way back. When done correctly, stretching is safe for most people

Click here for MYprotein supplements to get the best from your training and stretching

Types of stretch

With so many different types of stretching techniques for improving flexibility or mobility, there tends to be confusion on the difference between these techniques and how each one is executed. To help cut through some of the confusion, here is a quick explanation of common flexibility techniques.

• Static stretching - stretching to your furthest point and holding it there for a long period of time. This type of stretching is best for cooling down after a workout and best holding stretches for three or more minutes.

• Passive stretching - holding a position with the assistance of your own body, gravity, or another external object. This is a gentle form of stretching and another great option once you’ve finished up a workout.

• Dynamic stretching - uses movement and momentum to loosen up the muscles at the normal range of motion and never going past it.

• Ballistic stretching - gently bouncing in and out of a stretched position past the normal range of motion. When done correctly, it can improve flexibility. If you plan on doing any sort of high-impact sport or activity, ballistic stretching is best.

• Active stretching - holding a position using only your body parts or muscles to get into that position. An example of active stretching is when a ballerina lifts their leg in the air and holds it. A lot of yoga poses could also be considered active stretching.

• Isometric stretching - the tensing of muscle groups in a stretch against an external force such as a partner. Imagine lying on your back, lifting your leg up as high as possible, and having a partner hold it while you push against it. Blake says this is a very common type of stretch when working in physical therapy to recover from an injury.

• PNF – This stands for proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. PNF combines isometric stretching with passive stretching to allow you to get deeper with each stretch. PNF may be the most effective way of improving flexibility.

Bottom line

Stretching is an important aspect of any fitness routine whether you’re an athlete, an experienced gym goer or starting an exercise program for the first time. Improving flexibility has various health benefits that will improve quality of life, improve your mental health, and increase overall fitness and performance. There are too many benefits of stretching to not include them into your daily life and best of all, they only take a few minutes per day