Stretching for Beginners: Tips and Tricks to Some of the Best Stretching Methods to Improve Flexibility and Avoid Injuries

By Emma Carter

Life today has become easier and more convenient, what with all the technological advancements that we get to enjoy. However, the convenience of modern living brings multiple stresses that tend to take a toll on our body and overall health. It could be from overwork, excessive use of technology, extreme s

• Language: English
• Publisher: Emma Carter
• Release date: Oct 24, 2023
• ISBN: 9798868944727

Book preview

Introduction

Life today has become easier and more convenient, what with all the technological advancements that we get to enjoy. However, the convenience of modern living brings multiple stresses that tend to take a toll on our body and overall health. It could be from overwork, excessive use of technology, extreme sports play, or even being in a job that requires you to be sitting all day or constantly on the move.

Stress can cause the body to suffer from muscle pain and soreness, pinched nerves, and even more permanent disabilities, like severe body injuries. A quick, safe, and effective way to deal with such symptoms is stretching. The good thing about this simple therapy is that you can do it anytime and anywhere. Also, stretching does not require any special equipment.

If you want to learn more about stretching, its underlying principles, and how it can improve your flexibility, then you can use this book. In this comprehensive reading material, you can delve even deeper into what stretching and flexibility are all about and how to do stretches safely even if you are a beginner. It even tackles the technical and clinical aspects of stretching and flexibility in a simple and straightforward manner, so you can grasp them easily.

With that, expect to have an easier time understanding even those otherwise difficult concepts to grasp. Get well-rounded information about stretching for beginners and how you can use it to repair your body by getting a copy of this book. You will also learn how to use stretching exercises to make your body fitter, more relaxed, and flexible, and how to stretch safely as a senior.

Chapter 1

Stretching and Its Different Types

If you think that stretching is only for athletes, like gymnasts and runners, then you are wrong. It is an activity that everyone should do. Everyone needs to stretch as a means of protecting their mobility and health. Note that building muscles and attaining superior aerobic fitness is not usually enough to attain better health and fitness. It is also necessary to think about your flexibility, and you can only achieve that by stretching regularly.

Many people are unaware of how important it is to stretch regularly, but it is time to spread the information regarding how important it is to make it a part of your fitness routine. Stretching even needs to be a daily activity. It is what you need to keep your body flexible and mobile.

A Clearer Definition of Stretching

Stretching is a type of physical exercise that involves intentionally flexing or stretching a certain tendon, muscle, or muscle group as a means of boosting the elasticity of your muscles and attaining a more comfortable muscle tone. This results in increased flexibility, range of motion, and muscle control.

You can also use stretching therapeutically to help alleviate cramps. It can significantly improve your ability to function well when performing your daily activities.

As far as its basic form is concerned, you can look at stretching as an instinctive and natural activity. Humans are not the only ones who perform it. A lot of animals stretch, too. In most cases, this activity comes with yawning. Stretching happens by instinct, usually upon waking up from sleep, after leaving a confined area or space, or after being inactive for a prolonged period.

In terms of physical fitness, stretching is a basic tenet as it is the key to improving your flexibility. Athletes even make stretching a part of their routines. They use it to warm up before exercise and cool down right after. By doing that, they can lower their risk of dealing with injuries and boost their performance.

The Consequences of Inadequate Stretching

Stretching is a crucial aspect of your physical fitness as a lack of this physical exercise may lead to several issues that affect your body. For instance, not stretching enough can cause shortened muscles that can eventually develop painful knots.

Inadequate stretching can also make you prone to injury because you are not performing an activity designed to elongate your muscles. Poor flexibility caused by inadequate stretching may also negatively affect your joints.

It can lead to poor joint health as the joints need constant movement to keep up the health of your cartilage and the other structures within them. It is also the wide range of movements in your joints that can help in boosting blood supply and nutrients.

Another possible consequence of inadequate stretching is inflexible muscles that tend to tire out too quickly. When your muscles get tired easily, your opposing muscle groups will have to work doubly hard. This can further result in muscle fatigue and injuries.

When that happens, your muscles will also be unable to give your joints enough protection from chronic injuries. Your hamstrings, for instance, can contribute a lot to stabilizing your knees. It can also help prevent ACL tears.

One more thing that reduced flexibility brought on by inadequate stretching does is produce abnormal stress on every distant tissue and structure from the original site of inflexibility. A great example is knee tendonitis that also relates to tightness in the calf.

Muscles stretched regularly also have the advantage of enjoying better oxygenation, which may not happen if your muscles are tense. Having tense muscles mean they will be unable to receive enough vital nutrients and oxygen.

If you want to avoid the consequences of inadequate stretching, make it a habit to stretch before and after working out. By stretching before your workouts, your muscles will be prepared to receive the full impact of your exercise. Stretching after the exercise is also beneficial as it relaxes your muscles and prevents soreness.

Before working out, do some dynamic stretches like glute bridges and walking lunges. Static stretches that individually target certain muscles are also ideal for your cool-down exercises. Let's get to know more about these types of stretches in the next section.

Types of Stretching

Stretching comes in different types – with each stretch having its own benefits. Stretches can either be static (without motion) and dynamic (with motion). It is also further subdivided into other types that will allow you to pick the specific stretching techniques that produce the exact results you want.

Static Stretching

Static stretching is probably the most common among the different stretching types and techniques generally known. It often requires you to hold a stretch for around thirty to forty-five seconds with a short period of tension and a slow release. It is also further divided into two sub-types.

Active Stretching, which involves only your body – In active stretching, you contract a muscle group to tense the opposing muscle group. One way to do this is to contract your hamstring as a means of stretching your quadriceps. Active stretching is your regular daily stretch.

Passive Stretching, which requires the use of an external force or aid – This aid may come in the form of a stretching band or a wall. You may also seek the help of a partner. You can view passive stretching as more of an assisted form rather than the do-it-your-own approach.

Passive stretching can provide a dramatic improvement in your range of motion and flexibility. However, be careful when doing passive stretches as there are instances when it can result in overextension, leading to injuries.

Overall, static stretching has the advantage of increasing and expanding your flexibility and range of motion if you do it correctly. The most important aspect here is consistency and duration. It is recommended that you stretch at least 5 time a week for 5 minutes or more to benefit from having a better range of motion.

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic stretching is all about stretching during warmups. It requires you to use deliberate movements designed to make your muscles lose as you warm them up and prepare them for physical activities. It also requires you to move in and out of a certain stretch. Think of the whole approach as an activity that is like accelerated yoga.

Dynamic stretching is mainly based on movements, which is why it is more popular among physical therapists and athletes. They view it as the ideal form of pre-exercise activity as it warms up muscles while preparing them for exertion.

This type of stretching also enhances your flexibility and range of motion while lowering your risk of injury caused by overextension. It can prevent muscle stiffness or excessive muscle looseness. What makes it even better is that it can reduce stiffness significantly right after completing the stretches.

Ballistic Stretching

Many confuse dynamic and ballistic stretching because the two are quite similar. However, ballistic stretching is different from dynamic stretching in the sense that it tends to incorporate highly intensive movement patterns into a stretch routine prior to an exercise.

Another difference is that ballistic stretching requires strong and fast muscle counter-movements that usually go over the typical range of movement. Therefore, it is not highly recommended for anyone who does not have any supervision from an expert.

One thing that