10 Benefits of Stretching Every Day and Which Ones to Try
- Leanne Vandeligt
- Aug 28, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 14, 2022
Do you feel stiff and sluggish? - here's why we should take the time to stretch
And anytime is ok, it doesn't just mean you only have to
after a workout??
This can help - plus stretching workout to try
Here’s why stretching is so good for us and a list of ones to do, to improve flexibility and mobility.
Plus 10 reasons that stretching should be part of everyday life and to include them in your workouts.
1. Decreases muscle stiffness and increases range of motion. Stretching helps improve your range of motion, which may also slow the degeneration of your joints, prevent injury and tightness.
2. Helps relieve aches and pains, pre and post workouts. After a hard workout, stretching your muscles helps keep them loose and lessens the shortening and tightening effect that can lead to post-workout aches and pains.
4. Improves posture. Stretching the muscles of the lower back, shoulders and chest helps keep your back in alignment and balances the muscles, improves your posture.
5. Helps reduce or manage stress. Well-stretched muscles hold less tension and, therefore, can help you feel less stressed.
6. Reduces muscular tension and enhances muscular relaxation. Chronically tense muscles tend to cut off their own circulation, resulting in a lack of oxygen and essential nutrients. Stretching allows your muscles to relax.
9. Promotes circulation. Stretching increases blood supply to your muscles and joints, which allows for greater nutrient transportation and improves the circulation of blood through your entire body.
10. Decreases the risk of low-back pain. Flexibility in the hamstrings, hip flexors and muscles attached to the pelvis relieves stress on the lumbar spine, which in turn reduces your risk of low-back pain.
Other benefits are;
aiding weightloss, toning, improving shape and strength, joint mobility, reducing pain.
·Improves the number of calories burned in a day, which help you lose weight, however it is much less efficient than higher intensity like jogging, hiit training or biking.
Increasing flow of blood and oxygen, throughout the body. This helps remove toxins improving how our skin looks.
So why does stretching help with weight loss?
Here are some top reasons why stretching is an excellent way to shift the weight:
Calories – As we’ve briefly mentioned, you’re going to burn calories with every second you hold a stretch.
Metabolism – The poses we’re going to give away greatly help with bringing your entire digestive system into a state of balance.
Stress – There’s a calming quality to stretches and a calm body is a body that reacts better to every kind of physical activity.
Muscles – Finally, stretching builds muscles as well, because different stretches target different muscle groups, which, when combined
What are good stretches to try?
Here’s 13 of my favourite stretches, do as often as you want, to help lose a bit or just feel better.
The Opposite Arm to Leg stretch – Lie d, own on your stomach, and lift your arm opposite to your leg, hold for 30 sec, swap arms and legs
The Cobra – lying on your stomach, lift upper body towards the sky, helping yourself with your arms.
Cat Stretch – on all fours arching back gaze to ceiling, then reverse the curl looking under at your tummy, expanding the shoulder blades
Childs Pose – open hips stretch arms out, rest forehead on the floor and sit back on your heels or as far as comfortable
Seated twists – Sit down, back straight, bend one leg at the knee and place it over the other one, which you should keep on the floor and straight. Then, turn your upper body in the opposite direction.
The warrior – Perform a slight forward lunge while keeping your arms straight above you, and your hands clasped together and your back straight.
The bridge – Lie on your back and raise your pelvis as much upward as you can. Hold for half a second to a second.
Side lunges – Stand up with your back straight and spread your legs sufficiently apart, then transfer all your weight to your one knee while bending it.
Butterfly - Inner thigh stretches – Sit on the floor, keep your back straight, and bring together the soles of your feet while dropping your knees slowly to the sides.
Knee Curl squeezes – Lie on your back, fold your legs at the knees, and bring them towards your upper body while squeezing them with your arms.
Triceps stretches – Stand up, back straight, and bend your arm at the elbow and place it behind your head, reaching toward your lower back as much as possible.
The lying Twists – Lie on your back, feet wide and drop knees to one side, hold for a minute and then roll the legs over to the other side, Hold for half a minute.
The downward dog – Start this stretch on your hands and knees, and then straighten your arms and your legs into a V shape while pressing down.
Bonus also improves strength and muscle tone, so I’ve decided to show you some of my favourite stretches -
If you'd love to see which ones are the best - check out the stretching workout we did this week in my free facebook group
Let me know if you want help or have a specific struggle with muscles that you need to stretch and release the tension and unsure which stretch is best - you can email me or message via facebook.
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