An often-overlooked component of a well-rounded fitness routine is flexibility training. Daily stretching should be a part of your fitness routine. Increasing your flexibility will give you better range of motion, but it can also help prevent injury, improve your posture and even relieve stress. How and when you stretch are key to your success. Stretch all the muscles of your body and always stretch both your right and left sides equally.
Step 1
Warm up your muscles to get blood flowing to them. Perform five to 10 minutes of cardiovascular exercise such as marching in place, light jogging or walking. Make sure your heart rate increases and you break a sweat.
Step 2
Perform a full-body dynamic or active stretching routine, consisting of leg swings, knee lifts, arm circles, shoulder rolls and other stretches that use movement to ready your body for action.
Step 3
Complete your entire workout doing either cardiovascular training or muscle strengthening.
Step 4
End with static or stationary stretching to improve your flexibility. Include all the muscles of your body, stretching from head to toe to make sure you work each muscle group.
Step 5
Hold each stretch for 30 seconds, breathing deeply and completely.
Step 6
Repeat stretches two to three times each.
Tips and Warnings
- Always place stretching at the end of your workout so your body is fully warmed up and ready to stretch. If you feel pain when stretching, you are extending too far. Pull back to a place where you feel a gentle tug in your muscles.
- Get clearance from your doctor before incorporating stretching into your routine. Do not do ballistic stretching where you bounce in the stretching position.
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