Many or today's society have muscular imbalances due to repetitive daily movements leading to pain and injury. Repetitive movements such as sitting for long periods, standing, driving, or anything else that you do all day repetitively places undue stress on the body. Muscular imbalances result in poor joint movement, inappropriate muscle functioning and decreased neuromuscular control. Start with static stretching to improve these imbalances.
No matter what your fitness lever or your age, you can benefit from static stretching. Stretching will improve neuromuscular efficiency, improve joint range of motion, and improve the overall function of muscles. This helps to prevent injury and relieve pain.
You can perform static stretching before and after workouts. Before a workout stretching will help prepare your muscles for exercise and prevent injury. After exercise it helps to recover your muscles, increases flexibility which improves joint range of motion, and it also helps to reduce muscle soreness.
Static stretching is even more crucial if you are not active or you lead a sedentary lifestyle. It's important to remember to hold stretches for at least 30 seconds and only to a point where you feel slight tension.
There are different forms of flexibility training, including static stretching, active stretching, dynamic stretching, and self myofacial release with a foam roller. Static stretching is the most common type of stretching seen in fitness today. It involves taking a muscle to a low point of tension and holding that stretch for a minimum of 20 to 30 seconds. This allows lengthening of the muscle being stretched by contracting the opposite muscle. This type of stretching is a great way to correct muscle imbalances.
Another type of stretching, SMR or self myofacial release using a foam roll, is also a form of stretching to correct muscle imbalances and to relieve knots in a muscle. It improves the length of muscles by placing pressure on "knots" which are bundled muscle fibers. It returns the body to it's optimal level of functioning and it feels great. You can use this technique on most major muscles and combine it with static stretching.
Two other forms of flexibility training include Active and Dynamic stretching. These types of stretches should be performed as a warm up and should only be performed if you have no muscle imbalances. Perform static stretching after your workouts to cool down.
Improving your flexibility will not only feel great but will reduce the risk of injury, counteract aging, improve posture, relieve pain, and improve muscle recovery after workouts. Static stretching is a great place to start. - 16650
No matter what your fitness lever or your age, you can benefit from static stretching. Stretching will improve neuromuscular efficiency, improve joint range of motion, and improve the overall function of muscles. This helps to prevent injury and relieve pain.
You can perform static stretching before and after workouts. Before a workout stretching will help prepare your muscles for exercise and prevent injury. After exercise it helps to recover your muscles, increases flexibility which improves joint range of motion, and it also helps to reduce muscle soreness.
Static stretching is even more crucial if you are not active or you lead a sedentary lifestyle. It's important to remember to hold stretches for at least 30 seconds and only to a point where you feel slight tension.
There are different forms of flexibility training, including static stretching, active stretching, dynamic stretching, and self myofacial release with a foam roller. Static stretching is the most common type of stretching seen in fitness today. It involves taking a muscle to a low point of tension and holding that stretch for a minimum of 20 to 30 seconds. This allows lengthening of the muscle being stretched by contracting the opposite muscle. This type of stretching is a great way to correct muscle imbalances.
Another type of stretching, SMR or self myofacial release using a foam roll, is also a form of stretching to correct muscle imbalances and to relieve knots in a muscle. It improves the length of muscles by placing pressure on "knots" which are bundled muscle fibers. It returns the body to it's optimal level of functioning and it feels great. You can use this technique on most major muscles and combine it with static stretching.
Two other forms of flexibility training include Active and Dynamic stretching. These types of stretches should be performed as a warm up and should only be performed if you have no muscle imbalances. Perform static stretching after your workouts to cool down.
Improving your flexibility will not only feel great but will reduce the risk of injury, counteract aging, improve posture, relieve pain, and improve muscle recovery after workouts. Static stretching is a great place to start. - 16650
About the Author:
Gina Gardi (CPT) is the owner and operator of a Strength Training Website which offers free workout plans and fitness information. Visit the website for sample Stretching Flexibility Exercises that include static, foam roll and active stretching, complete with illustrated stretching exercises and instructions.
