Stretching exercise is one of the most important exercises you can put into your daily schedule. But, before doing you need to know about exercise essentials.
The stretching exercises form part of the cool down program at the end of a training session.
The aim is to relax the muscles and facilitate an improvement in maximum range of motion.
The back especially requires stretches since it is the first area where you can experience pain.
The back exercises release the back pain. Apart from back exercise, the remaining stretch exercises are important for the remaining parts of the body.
Back exercise:
To start back exercise, lie down on your back with comfortable position with legs elongated and the arms stretched over the head. The back flex exercises are done correctly to avoid injury.
Stretch your arms over your head as far as the arms will allow simultaneously stretching the legs at length. The chest should be expanded up and hold your place up to fifteen or thirty seconds. Repeat until you feel the body release tension and stress.
For the upper back stretch, stand tall feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Interlock your fingers and push your hands as far away from your chest as possible, allowing your upper back to relax. You should feel the stretch between your shoulder blades.
Adductor Stretch:
Stand in a comfortable position with feet two shoulder widths apart. Bend your right leg and lower your body. Keep your back straight and use the arms to balance. You will the stretch in the left leg adductor. Repeat the procedure with the left leg.
Hamstring stretch:
Hamstring stretch requires sitting on the ground in a relaxed position with both legs straight out in front of you. Bend the left leg and place the sole of the left foot alongside the knee of the right leg. Bend forward keeping the back straight. Hold the position for fifteen to thirty seconds and swap legs following the same procedure.
Calf stretch:
When doing calf stretches, you should stand in a comfortable position, placing the hands on the hip region. Calf stretches can be done by placing both hands on a wall with shoulder width apart.
You step frontward with your right foot. Bend the knees with your feet grounded to the floor and shift your body to your forward foot. Lower your hips gradually until your body exposes a mild stretching feeling in the calf muscle of the rear leg. Repeat this procedure with the other leg also.
Shoulder stretch:
Stand in a comfortable position and feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Place your right arm parallel with the ground across the front of your chest. Bend the left arm up and use the left forearm to ease the right arm closer to your chest. You feel the stretching in the shoulder. Repeat the procedure with the other arm.
Biceps Stretch:
Stand tall with feet wider than shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold your arms out to the side parallel with the ground and the palms of the hand facing forward.
Rotate your hands so the palms face to the rear and stretch the arms back as far as possible. You should feel the stretch across your chest and in the biceps.
Neck stretches:
Sitting flat on the floor, tilt your head in a backward position. Tilt your head rolling it from side to side. Slightly lower your head toward your chest, moving it from side to side, and then to the back. Do not drop your head lower than needed to feel the stretch sensation that is most effective.
Side bends:
Stand in a comfortable position with feet wider than shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Bend slowly to one side, come back to the vertical position and then bend to the other side. Do not lean forwards or backwards.
Hip and Thigh Stretch:
Stand in a comfortable position with feet two shoulder widths apart. Turn the feet and face to the right. Bend your right leg so that the right thigh is parallel with the ground and the right lower leg is vertical.
Slowly lower your body. Keep your back straight and use the arms to balance. You will feel the stretch along the front of the left thigh and along the hamstrings of the right leg. Repeat the procedure by turning and facing to the left.
Don’t overstretch:
While stretching can promote flexibility, overstretching can damage the muscles, if you are recovering from an injury. Don’t bounce while stretching. Holding your stretch in a static position works best.
