Monday, September 17, 2012
Flexibility – Why Stretching is a Must to Maintain Your Health
You did it again… You know you need to schedule
time for exercise, but instead of a little every day, you cram it all in
the weekend. And you end up overdoing it every time. Now you have painful
pulled muscles and very little sleep. How are you going to get the kids to
school and yourself off to another day of work?
Experts recommend 30-60 minutes of exercise
every day. However, an often-ignored component of the exercise routine is
stretching to warm the muscles up and cool them down. It keeps your core
muscles strong enough to keep your entire skeleton in proper alignment so undue
stresses and tears to your muscles and connective tissues don’t occur.
An
article on CNN about flexibility carried this fascinating statement: “Flexibility
is the third pillar of fitness, next to cardiovascular conditioning and
strength training,” says David Geier, the
director of sports medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina.
The amount of flexibility you have is due to
your genetics. However you can choose to improve it by stretching. Stretching
lengthens the tendons, or muscle fibers, which connect your muscles to the
bones. As they lengthen, your muscles become bigger and stronger. The general
rule is to stretch to minor discomfort and stop if it’s painful.
What are some of the
benefits of stretching?
- Reduces stress
- Prevents exercise related injuries
- Staves off arthritis
- Increases circulation of blood to your muscles – good circulation protects against diabetes, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease
- Boosts metabolism and fitness level
- Everyday activities are easier and more enjoyable
- Enhances ability to balance and prevent injuries from falls
- Young athletes can prevent sports injuries
Today, we tend to engage in activities that
shorten our muscles, such as hunching over a computer, driving long commutes,
and even wearing high heels. As we age we naturally lose our muscle elasticity,
so stretching exercises that keep us flexible will go a long way in making our
lives much more enjoyable.
Why not ask us at Simplify
how our professionals can help you organize your life so you have the time for
a good exercise routine as well as everything else that’s important.
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