Are you excited about getting fit but need to know where to start? We've all been there! When you first began working out, you would need to figure out how to structure an exercise plan that would produce results and be sustainable.
To help, after some trial and error, though, I discovered there are 6 fundamental components that can set any novice up for fitness success—things like balancing different types of training, getting enough recovery, and keeping your nutrition on point.
In this post, I'll walk through the key ingredients to whip up workout magic as a beginner. I would have loved to have this info when I started! Whether your goal is to lose weight, gain strength or feel healthier, these are the basics.
Let's check out how to set yourself up for workout wins!
7 Reasons You Should Consider Stretching Exercise
Now, let's explore the key benefits you can gain by stretching every day. Incorporating 10-15 minutes of stretching before and after your workouts can lead to big rewards over time.
1.Help Prevent Common Exercise Injuries
Consistency is vital here as taking time to stretch major muscle areas like your hamstrings, chest and shoulders daily allows flexibility to build gradually over time. This keeps these zones supple and resilient rather than stiff and prone to injury. You'll then be able to take on tougher workouts while ensuring your body can handle it.
2.Enhance Your Athletic Performance
Regular stretching prepares your muscles for peak performance. By first taking your joints through their full range of motion, areas are activated, and blood starts pumping around. This means when you do come to work out, your body responds with better coordination, faster speeds, and the ability to lift heavier weights.
3.Speed Up Recovery Rates
Give your muscles some TLC post-training with some long-held stretches. This helps flush out toxic lactic acid, boosts blood flow to aid muscle repair and reduces inflammation. Before you know it, those aches and pains have eased off, and you're ready to smash your next session rather than missing days to recover.
4.Improve Your Overall Flexibility
This one's simple - to get more flexible, you've got to put the work into stretching out tight spots! But the rewards are worth it as improved mobility makes light work of previously tricky moves. Better flexibility is handy during daily activities, like bending down to tie laces or looking over your shoulder to manoeuvre while driving.
5.Minimize Muscle Soreness
Do you know that flared-up feeling that kicks in a day or two after a brutal workout? That's delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which can mean taking an unwanted break from exercise. But spending just 10 minutes stretching both before and after sessions has been scientifically shown to significantly reduce pesky DOMS.
6.Alleviate Stress Levels
Interestingly, physiologically stretching helps lower the body's stress hormones, eliciting a relaxation response when you focus on breathing while holding poses. This makes it an easy way to carve out me-time while calming your nervous system simultaneously after a hectic day.
7.Bolster Overall Health And Wellbeing
Building flexibility through regular stretching complements healthy lifestyle choices by keeping your body primed to move freely without restriction. This aids mobility during daily activities while lowering future injury risks. As a bonus, it also enhances body and spatial awareness.
Conclusion
Adding stretching before and after your workouts provides tremendous fitness, health, and performance advantages. A few minutes daily is all it takes to build strength, flexibility, balance, and recovery.
Stretching also reduces injury risk while easing post-exercise soreness. With benefits for both the body and mind, stretching is easy to incorporate and accessible to all ability levels.
Give stretching a try for 10-15 minutes daily and feel the rewards compound over time. You'll move through your workouts more quickly and efficiently, reducing aches and pains.
So don't let stretching fall by the wayside when planning your exercise routine—make it a consistent component today!
FAQs
Q. What are the best times of day to stretch?
Ans. Aim to stretch in the morning and evening, as stretching muscles when warm is best practice. You may also stretch after workouts or between strength training sets.
Q. What areas should I focus my stretching on?
Ans. Prioritize major muscle groups like shoulders, chest, legs, back and hips. Also, stretch muscles and joints that feel particularly tight. Targeting problem spots aids recovery.
Q. How long should I hold a stretch?
Ans. Most experts recommend holding stretches for at least 30 seconds. Stretches held for 60 seconds are even more beneficial. Just don't bounce or strain, which can cause injury.
