5 Reasons to Start Stretching
There’s a saying when it comes to mobility and flexibility: “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” This is especially true as we age.
Fortunately, there’s a super easy way to prevent it - stretching. We know, we know. It seems too easy to be true. But it is.
Regular stretching offers many benefits. Here are just 5 of them.
Stretching increases your mobility.
In the fitness world, mobility refers to the ability of a joint to move freely through its full range of motion. Mobility is essential for you to move comfortably and freely throughout your day.
Regular stretching can help increase your range of motion.
Stretching lengthens your muscles and ligaments which decreases joint stiffness.
Stretching increases your flexibility.
Flexibility refers to the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to move through their full range of motion. Like mobility, flexibility is essential for you to move comfortably throughout your day.
Regular stretching can help increase your flexibility.
Stretching helps lengthen your muscles so they can move freely through their full range of motion.
Stretching helps improve blood circulation.
Research suggests regular stretching may improve blood circulation.
Here’s how it works.
When you stretch a muscle, the blood vessels around it widen. This allows more blood to flow through the muscle. The increased blood flow allows the muscle to receive more oxygen and get rid of metabolic waste, like lactic acid.
This process can shorten your recovery time and help reduce muscle soreness after a workout.
Stretching helps improve your posture.
The two keys to good posture are strengthening and stretching the muscles in your core, back, and chest.
Stretching our postural muscles helps counteract the strain we put on them while hunched over at our computer or on our phones all day. It puts them to work and makes them do the job they were made to do.
Pro Tip: If you work at a desk all day, take 5 minutes to stretch your back muscles a few times a day. You’ll start to see an improvement in your posture in no time.
Stretching reduces muscle tension.
Stretching can help lower the physical impact of stress by reducing muscle tension.
Stress can cause our muscles to tighten which can cause headaches or pain. Stretching helps reduce muscle tension which lowers the pain we may experience.
Ready to get your stretch on?
Join Eagles from across the nation 12 - 31 August as they take on the Eagle Fit: Stretch and Plank Challenge! It’s got daily workouts - from beginner to advanced - to help you build flexibility and core strength.
