When you think of an exercise program, your mind probably visualizes aerobic movements and muscular conditioning. While stretching should be an essential component of any fitness plan, it is often the most neglected. Including static stretches in your fitness routine will provide your body with many advantages.
Static stretching can increase your body's range of motion helping your body move more freely and efficiently, reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), de-stress your mind and body, and balance out your body.
Improving your ROM can help to reduce injuries, sprains, and strains which can occur when your body's joints, such as your knees, hips, shoulders, or ankles, have restrictions that do not allow proper movement. By performing static stretching at the end of any workout, you can help reduce the stiffness and soreness that can follow one to two days after working out. Taking time to stretch in a comfortable position that requires minimal exertion, where you can relax and focus on slow breathing, you can reduce the feelings of stress throughout your body.
If you have poor flexibility in one or more muscle groups, this can lead to muscular imbalances or poor posture. When one side of your body is tight, it can slowly pull on joints causing alignment issues and increase the risk of injuries. Therefore, by incorporating stretching, you can help to release muscles that are too tight, and slowly help your body get back into proper alignment and balance out your body.
When it comes to stretching, it is important to find the time after a workout or throughout your day to keep your body healthy. Before you get into deep stretching, it is important to make sure your body is warmed up to help maximize the stretches you will be performing.
If you do not have the time to warm up before stretching, it is very important to go into your stretches slowly and to stop at the position where you are just starting to feel the stretch, then repeat those stretches one to two more times to get a deeper stretch.
The stretch can be held anywhere from 15 seconds to 30 seconds, and you want to make sure you are moving in a pain-free range of motion to help reduce the risk of injury.