Sudhakar Jha
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Written By: Sudhakar Jha | Published : August 21, 2018 7:05 PM IST
Hardcore workouts have the tendency to take a toll on your body and not stretching before your rigorous fitness regime is actually harming your body than doing any good. On the other hand, when you stretch, you loosen your muscles and fascia, which helps while working out. Stretching also improves your blood circulation and flexibility. And that s not it, stretching does more than just that as it offers a ton of benefits that you need to know about. Let s take a look at them.
Increases your flexibility: Regular stretching helps increase your flexibility, which is vital for your overall health. Not only does improved flexibility help you perform everyday activities with relative ease, it also helps delay the reduced mobility that comes with aging.
Upsurges your range of motion: Being able to move a joint through its full range of motion shows your overall freedom of movement. Stretching on a regular basis does that. And in fact, one study found that both static and dynamic stretching increase the range of motion, although proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF)-type stretching, where you stretch a muscle to its limit, may be more effective for immediate gains.
Improves your performance in physical activities: Numerous studies have shown that performing dynamic stretches before any physical activities help prepare your muscles for the activity. It may also help improve your performance in an athletic event or exercise.
Increases blood flow to your muscles: Stretching regularly also has the ability to improve your blood circulation throughout the body. Due to the improved circulation, blood flow to your muscles is also increased, which in turn shortens the recovery time and reduces muscle soreness.
Better posture: Muscle imbalances are common and can lead to poor posture due to different reasons. But one study found that a combination of strengthening and stretching specific muscle groups can reduce musculoskeletal pain and encourage proper body alignment. That, in turn, may help improve your posture.
Helps to heal and prevent back pain: Tightened muscles lead to a decreased range of motion and that increases your likelihood of strained back. That s where stretching comes into play. It has the ability to heal an existing back injury and also help to prevent back pain in future by strengthening the back muscles and reducing the risk of strain in muscles.
Relieves stress: When you re stressed, chances are that your muscles are tensed too. Reason? Muscles tend to tighten up in response to the physical and emotional stress we re in. Try to focus on areas of your body where you tend to hold your stress, such as your neck, shoulders, and upper back. And do stretching on those muscle groups to relieve the tension.
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