Today, millions of people have discovered the benefits of stretching. Over the last years, studies have shown that people that live these active lives live fuller lives. In fact, studies show that a lack of physical activity directly relates to many major illnesses and death. Before the Industrial Revolution, people actually had to work hard to get their needed amount of movement. After the Revolution, it became a different story. People no longer needed to work physically to make a life for themselves. With this lack of movement came lack of flexibility. Now, everywhere you look, you see people out jogging, hiking, and playing golf, tennis, and other sports to stay active. The fitness trend is in; but it’s not a trend anymore. Now, it’s a way of life. Stretching is an important part of this way of life that many people leave out.
Many people would tell you that they love to exercise and workout. This is true because exercising releases many stress-relieving endorphins that help in many ways. What they won’t tell you is that they feel the same way about stretching. It would be considered one of their least favorite things to do. Truth is, stretching is also stress relieving and relaxing, but not in quite the same ways as exercise. Although stretching doesn’t reduce bodily fat nor does it gain muscle; it does set a good foundation for you to perform the necessary activities that lead to good health. With proper flexibility, many functions that were previously not achievable can now be done. For instance, a tennis game can be fun for a little while. But as your muscle tense up, you risk probable sourness and cramping. With good flexibility, your muscles stay loose and relaxed and your attitude toward the tennis game and other exercises are improved.
Flexibility is the amount of movement your joints can move. Stretching is the key to maintaining good flexibility. As you get older, your tendons begin to shorten and tighten, restricting your flexibility. By the time you hit your mid-twenties, your bones begin to harden and your joints have already set in place. This is not bad in any way. It also means that you’re less likely to have any dislocated joints throughout your life. However, your movement becomes slower and not as smooth. You find it much more difficult to do co...
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... will not shorten upon healing.
Everyone can stretch regardless of age of flexibility. You do not need to be in good shape or be an athlete to be able to stretch. Stretching feels good when done correctly. You do not have to push your limits to progress in an effective stretch routine. Neither should it be a contest to see how far you can stretch. This will most often lead to injury. Rather stretching should feel more relaxing than anything, and should not feel uncomfortable in any way. If there is pain during a stretch then that is a good sign there is something wrong. If you stretch and exercise regularly, than you will learn to enjoy it more and more.
Stretching is key to maintaining a healthy life throughout the years. There are so many benefits to flexibility; but because it does not directly relate to what anybody wants to hear, they go on with their fat-burning, muscle building routines. Fact is, without stretching, the results will be very slow and inefficient. The results afterward would most likely be disappointing. Flexibility is a very important part of any fitness and should not be left out of everyday life.
Witvrouw, E., Mahieu, N., Roosen, P., & McNair, P. (2007). The role of stretching in tendon injuries. British journal of Sports Medicine , 224-226.
...is flexibility with stretches, T'ai chi, ad yoga. All of these exercises prevents osteoporosis, builds muscle, endurance, and thickness of bones.
- Increase the flexibility in your shoulders and enjoy more freedom to do what you want to do.
Kerr (2012) states that there are 3 main types of exercise which are aerobic, strength/resistance training and flexibility exercises. Aerobic exercises will help keep the heart, lungs and muscles healthy, and when paired with a healthy diet will aid in weight loss. Appropriate resistance training will help to improve strength, posture and balance as well as causing the participant’s body to look more toned. Also the build up of muscle will aid with weight loss as at rest muscle burns more calories than inactive tissue. These exercises should be done two or three times a week. Flexibility exercises are important because if a muscle isn’t stretched then overtime it will shorten and become less elastic. Therefore joint mobility will decrease and the likelihood of injuries to muscl...
... and can lock the joints in painful positions. Often, teens are fitted with special braces to ensure flexible joints and tendons (the strong, rubber band-like tissues that attach muscles to bones). Surgery is sometimes used to reduce pain and increase movement from contractures.
The age-related change that I am most concerned about developing is osteoporosis. The bones in our bodies are living tissue, and there is an ongoing process of replacement and reabsorption. When this process is interrupted in a way that the new bone doesn’t keep up with removing the old bone, osteoporosis can happen. Studies tell us that men and women are affected, but Caucasian and Asian women who are post menopause are at a higher risk of developing this bone disease. It causes bones to be brittle and weak so that even a small fall will cause a fracture. In more serious cases, this breaking can sometimes occur by a cough, or in bending over the wrong way.
The background of athletic training started way back in ancient Greece. Back then they believed massage was very important, especially to the people that pla...
After Swimming: Do 5 minutes of easy freestyle swimming and do full-body stretches for flexibility.
...the study the participants had to be female and obtain permission from a doctor to clear them for physical activity. The setting was semi-naturalistic. Participants were randomly assigned to the control or the experimental group. Measurements were taken for BMI and blood pressure, as well as a blood sample to determine the participant’s baseline. They were also assessed for activity tolerance, agility and flexibility. The participants in the experimental group underwent 16 weeks of exercise training that consisted of walking, stretching and balance exercises. The classes were held three-times per week, for a duration of about 60-70 minutes. The results showed that there was a significant decrease in all variables measured in the experimental group. Triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and VLDL cholesterols as well as BMI and blood pressure had all decreased.
The body was designed to perform a variety of tasks while actively using muscles. Sustained muscle activity robs the muscles of life giving blood flow. It is very important to actively stretch during breaks to flush out toxins that build up in the muscles that were used for sustained posture.
Whether you're a pro athlete or someone just starting to get into shape, the strengthening and stretching positions and motions yoga puts you through is an excellent start for staying, and becoming, an athlete. When first starting, certain positions, like a backbend, may not be accomplishable. But with time and work, slowly your body loosens up until you can feel the muscles throughout your body, and you become more aware of yourself. As you develop self-awareness, it also becomes easier to tell where you body is weak or strong. Which joints may need extra work, while others may not. Targeting your weaker points, instead of relying on your stronger ones, will indulge you with less injuries and illnesses. Call it becoming one with yourself. ...
"Flexibility Training... Stretching For Sport And Athletes." Phil Davies' Sports Fitness Advisor - Get Fit for Sport & Life. Web. 03 June 2010. .
Adding exercises into one’s daily routines can change their whole lifestyle. Many people look at exercise as being something just for people who want to lose weight or to become muscle bound, but there are a great deal of benefits that can be received from exercising regularly. Of course gaining muscle and losing fat are the two most popular reasons that usually attract people to the gym, but they make up a small part of the potential benefits that can be achieved with exercise. There are several ways in which I have benefited in my life from exercising regularly, besides just making me bigger and stronger. It has made me become more organized, helped me make better decisions, and motivated me to take on new challenges in life.
Performing planks daily allows you to be more flexible. Planking widens and stretches all your posterior muscle groups such as the shoulders, shoulder blades, and collarbone. It also stretches your hamstrings, your feet arches, and toes. If you add a side plank into the routine, you can also work on developing your oblique muscles. Flexibility means being able to perform other forms of workouts with competence.