Exercises To Stretch Muscles Correctly
Exercises to stretch the muscles are very important, before and after physical activity. Although many people don’t, in this article we want to remind you why they are highly recommended.
Stretching exercises are essential before exercise because this is how we prepare our body for physical exertion. The muscles warm up and prepare for the movements they will have to perform. If you have ever gone to a Pilates class or participated in any other activity, you may have noticed that all of them involve exercises to stretch the muscles .
But why are they also done after training? Because after the tension suffered during training, the muscles need to relax. Otherwise, we could suffer injuries and cramps. Remember to stretch before and after exercise.
The importance of exercises to stretch the muscles
You have to do the exercises correctly to get an excellent stretch. We will start with the leg lift until we reach the head. They need to be done unhurriedly and trying to stretch each part well.
1. Stretching of the legs
Calf stretch
- Take a big step forward and place your foot on the ground.
- Bend the front leg as much as possible and push the heel to the ground. This way, you will stretch your calf.
Inner thigh stretch
- Open your legs as far as possible and bend them as if doing a squat.
- Press your knees with your hands to push your legs back and get more open.
- To complete the leg stretch, grab one foot with your hands and bring it to the buttocks.
- If you don’t notice the stretch, try bringing your leg as high as possible and a little back. This way, you will exert more tension.
2. Stretching of the buttocks, lumbar and abdominals
To stretch these 3 areas of the body we will go by parts. We will start with the glutes; then the lumbar muscles and finally the abdominals.
Buttocks
Lie flat on the ground with your arms in the shape of a cross. Bring both legs to the side. We will try to bring the upper leg as far as possible and the knee must touch the floor. We can help with the hand corresponding to the side towards which we turned the legs to push the knee to the ground and get a greater stretch.
Lumbar muscles
While seated, we must perform a roll up, that is, we must let ourselves fall to the ground so that our hands touch the floor. Then, we slowly relax, putting pressure on the lower back.
Abs
We have to take the cobra posture or bhujangasana. We will find ourselves upside down and, with our hands at chest level, we will raise the trunk as much as possible.
3. Stretching of the upper part
Now it’s time to stretch the upper body. To do this, we will do some exercises to stretch the arm muscles.
The first is to stretch the arm towards the opposite shoulder. The opposite hand will hold and press the arm. Then we stretch the shoulder.
Another exercise might involve lifting the arm and folding it behind the head. And, with the other hand, push the elbow down. In this way, we will stretch the triceps.
4. Neck Stretching
The neck is a very important part of the body, where a lot of tension builds up. Another reason why it is important to prepare and relax your muscles before and after exercise.
Without moving the shoulders, let’s try to get the ear to touch the shoulder. We can help with one hand. This way we will be able to stretch the neck muscles even more.
The last exercise is to move the chin towards the chest as much as possible. We can also put our hands behind our heads and push gently. Afterwards, we bring our heads back.
The ultimate relaxation to stretch the muscles
Variations can be introduced into these stretch exercises. There are so many ways to stretch your muscles, so the variations are endless! The important thing is to insist that this little muscle stretching routine should always be accompanied by breathing exercises.
This is after exercise. If we perform the stretching exercises before exercise, it will not be necessary.
Bend your knees a little, inhale and raise your arms as much as possible. Maintain this position for a few seconds and let your body drop by exhaling and bringing your hands to the ground. Repeat 2 more times.
This exercise allows us to relax and finish the session in a rewarding way.
Now that you know why it is important to do these exercises to stretch your muscles, never forget to do them. Remember: you have to do them before, but also after training. If you are already used to doing them, we are curious to know what your favorite routine is. We can’t wait to find out more!
