Introduction:
Chances are you spend a lot of time sitting down. And, if you're stuck in front of a computer, chances are you could use a little help improving your flexibility. I know it's hard to believe but in order to be more athletic or have better posture, you need to work on your flexibility. You can do this by stretching for example but it's not always practical or even possible given your busy schedule. That's why I'm going to show you some ways you can make sure your flexibility is top-notch every day!
Gentle Stretches
Gentle stretches are a great way to build flexibility. This can be done at any time of your day and is especially beneficial when you feel tightness or pain in your muscles, ligaments, or tendons.
Gentle stretching is not just for athletes; you can do gentle stretches anytime you want throughout the day.
some easy ways to get your body moving:
Walk briskly for 10 minutes
Stand on one leg for 30 seconds
Jump rope for 30 seconds
Gentle stretches can help you improve flexibility and reduce tension in your muscles. These stretches are a great way to warm up before a workout or to use as part of your warm-up routine.
Hold the stretch for five to ten seconds to do a gentle stretch, then relax for two to three seconds. Repeat up to 10 times.
Dynamic Stretches
Dynamic stretches are exercises that challenge your flexibility, and they're great for improving your range of motion.
Dynamic stretches involve moving through a range of motion without holding the stretch. For example, you could do a dynamic stretch by slowly moving through a squatting position or bending your body weight forward or backward.
You should perform dynamic stretches after you've warmed up with static stretching to prepare your muscles for movement.
Dynamic stretches are movements that you do while you’re still standing up. They’re great for your core, back, and arms and can help you improve flexibility in those areas.
1. Bicycle Stretch
Stand with your feet together, toes pointing forward. Keep your knees unlocked and your abdominals braced.
Slowly bend one knee until the leg is bent at 90 degrees and the top of your foot touches the floor (a).
Bring the other leg over to meet it as far as possible, keeping both knees unlocked (b).
If this isn’t possible, bend both legs at about a 90-degree angle (c).
Repeat on both sides until fatigued or pain occurs.
Yoga
It can be done in many ways, from simple to challenging.
Yoga is a series of postures that help you get a deeper understanding of your body and mind, as well as improve your overall well-being. You can learn basic yoga poses such as sitting up straight, standing on one leg, and doing a child’s pose.
As you progress through more advanced yoga poses, such as downward facing dog or Warrior I, you will build up strength in your core muscles and stretch out your hamstrings and back muscles to help with flexibility.
Pilates
It's a series of exercises that help you to strengthen your body, which in turn helps you to increase your flexibility.
Pilates also helps to build your core muscles, which are essential for overall health and fitness. This will be beneficial for people who have tight hamstrings or hip flexors.
Pilates is particularly good for those who want to improve their posture, as it can help you to develop the muscles in your back and abdomen that support good posture when standing and walking.
Foam Rolling
Foam rolling can be done both with and without stretching the muscles. The idea is to target specific areas of tightness and release them.
Foam rolling can be done both with and without stretching the muscles. The idea is to target specific areas of tightness and release them. There are different types of foam rollers available, but I prefer the ones made out of memory foam because they're easier on your skin than traditional hard foam rolls and dry quickly once you're done using them.
While you can do this activity on its own, it's even better if you have a partner helping out by holding onto each end of the roller when you roll over certain areas (like the glutes or upper back). You can also use a lacrosse ball or tennis ball instead of an actual roller if you don't have access to one at home!
Conclusion:
The above exercises should give you a good idea of the various types of stretching exercises that you can perform at home to improve your flexibility and prevent future injuries. You may want to try them out and monitor both the amount of time that it takes you to complete each stretch as well as how sore you feel after. You'll start to get an idea of what types of stretching work best for you and which need more work.
0 Comments