Why Stretching Is Good For You
Of the five components of fitness, allow me to take a guess which one you’re coming up short in.
…
But before I do, that puzzled look on your face needs addressing, which I’ll do by saying yes, there are five components of fitness!
The five aspects of fitness are (1) cardiovascular endurance, (2) muscular strength, (3) muscular endurance, (4) flexibility, and (5) body composition. Of those five elements that comprise physical fitness, the one that people, including you, give barely a thought to is flexibility, which can be gained by stretching and is something that should be an integral part of your daily routine, whether you work out or not.
• Increases range of motion
• Improves blood circulation
• Improves posture
• Relieves pain
• Relieves stress
• Improves performance
• Reduces injury risk
• Reduces muscle stiffness
• Reduces joint stiffness
Considering the benefits of stretching, we can see that stretching is good for you and you should probably stretch regularly if you don’t already!
So how do you do it?
1. Perform static stretches only when the muscles are warm.
2. Hold each stretch for 10-30 seconds.
3. Stretch until you feel a gentle pull or slight discomfort — NOT pain!
4. Perform the stretch for both sides of the body.
5. Don’t bounce into a stretch.
6. Don’t hold your breath while stretching.
7. Don’t stretch injured areas.
Glossary: fitness, muscle, work out
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