Why is stretching important for our health?

Stretching Tips!

Before you run headlong into stretching, make sure you do it safely and effectively. While you can stretch at  anytime, anywhere, proper technique is very important. Stretching incorrectly can do more harm than good.

 Stretching isn’t a warmup – You may hurt yourself if you stretch cold muscles. Before stretching, warm up with light walking, slow jogging or cycling at low intensity for 5 to 10 minutes.

Focus on major muscle groups –  Concentrate your stretches on major muscle groups such as your calves, thighs, hips, lower back, neck and shoulders. Make sure that you stretch both sides. Also stretch muscles and joints that you routinely use or that you use in your activity.

Don’t bounce within a stretch –  Stretch in a smooth movement, without bouncing. Bouncing as you stretch can injure your muscle and actually contribute to muscle tightness.

Hold your stretch –  Breathe normally and hold each stretch for about 30 seconds, especially in problem areas. You may need to hold a stretch up to 60 seconds, in problem areas if they are very tight.

Pain isn’t the aim –  Expect to feel tension while you’re stretching, not pain. If it hurts, you’ve stretched too far. Lessen the stretch until you don’t feel any pain again, then hold the stretch.

Make stretches specific –  Stretch the muscles you use most in your sport or activity you do frequently. If you play football, for instance, stretch your hamstrings as you’re more vulnerable to hamstring strains.

Keep up with your stretching –  Stretching can be time-consuming. But you can achieve the most benefits by stretching regularly, at least two to three times a week. Even 5 to 10 minutes of stretching at a time can be helpful. Skipping regular stretching means that you risk losing the potential benefits. For instance, if stretching helped you increase your range of motion, your range of motion may decrease again if you stop stretching.

Foam Rolling

For general muscle soreness, you can use a foam roller just about any time. Some people like to use a roller first thing in the morning or before going to bed.

Before workouts: Rollers may help loosen up muscles, allowing more efficient movement during the workout.

After workouts: Rollers may help reduce muscle soreness and shorten recovery time.

How to Use a Foam Roller

Using a foam roller can be uncomfortable so it’s better to be too gentle, rather than too intense, when you’re starting out learning how to use a roller. You can adjust your intensity as you learn how your body responds. Generally, you’re looking for a level of slight discomfort. Pushing past discomfort into real pain won’t speed up results, but it will risk injury. You can actually bruise muscles by rolling too intensely.

Follow these steps to use your foam roller:

1. Pinpoint the sore or tight area of your muscle.
2. Control your body as you slowly lower the targeted area so it’s centered above the roller.
3. Lower your body onto the foam roller until you reach a point of slight discomfort (but not pain) and hold it there.
4. Hold for 20-30 seconds
5. The pressure alone provides benefits, but you can also roll slowly back and forth to further stimulate the area.
6. Continue to move slowly along the muscle with the roller, stopping and holding in the areas that need more focus.

As you’re using your foam roller, experiment with slight adjustments to your body position in order to find the most effective technique. Also, remember to breathe. Many people get so fixated on the sensation of massaging a painful knot that they forget to even take a breath.