To keep a body healthy and strong, it's not enough to build muscle and achieve aerobic fitness. Flexibility is important too, and stretching is proven to help.
Why stretching is important for health
Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and tight, and when required for physical activity, they are weak and may lead to risks for join pain, strains and muscle damage.
Why does stretching feel so good?
Stretching has been shown to increase serotonin levels – the hormone that helps balance our mood, reduce stress, and makes us feel good. When learning how to stretch, it is very important to not rush yourself.
Stretching daily (even for just 15 minutes) will deliver the best results but you can also expect to see improvement in health and flexibility if you stretch 2-3 times a week.
Benefits of Stretching
Lessens the risk of injuries
Improve performance in physical activities
Enable your muscles to work most effectively
Improve your ability to do daily activities
Releases endorphins to reduce stress
Here are 3 main principles of stretching
Avoid Pain: Listen to your body, back off if it hurts. Look for an appropriate amount of intensity – as a guide, imagine going to 60% of your maximum effort.
Keep Breathing: When a stretch seems intense, you may be tempted to hold your breath or breathe rapidly, but this heightens the sympathetic nervous system to 'freeze' up.
Stretch Slowly: Gaining flexibility and range of motion will not happen overnight. Make it a consistent and regular routine.
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