Stretching is one of the best ways to gain flexibility and strengthen your body. Stretching has been used for centuries as a way to prevent injury, maintain optimum health, and maintain optimal performance. Stretching has many benefits; however, it can be difficult to perform due to tight muscles and tendons. If you are experiencing a hard time stretching, then you should consider a few stretches that you can do before your next workout. These stretches will help you stretch better so that you will be able to continue to enjoy your workout.
Hanging Knee-jerk This is an effective stretching exercise that you can perform prior to a workout. Hanging on the balls of your feet, pull up your knees until your body forms a straight line from your head to your toes. As your body lowers to the floor, pull up your hips to the point where your upper body forms a straight line from your head to your toes. Repeat this process as many times as you can. To complete the hanging knee-jerk, pull your hands up behind your head as you pull your hips back.
Bandha-Ghan With this type of yoga stretching exercise, you will pull the band (the bright-colored part in the middle) as far as you can. Then, hold that position as long as you can. Pull your muscles with your arms and shoulders while keeping your back straight. As the bandha-ghans get shorter, they become easier to do.
Locust Stretch These stretching exercises are excellent for your abdomen. To do this, lay flat on your stomach and lift your legs up. Then, bend your knees and bring them up to your chest area. Hold this position as long as you can.
The most common problem that people have with their flexibility is weak abdominal muscles. If these muscles are strong and well-trained, the person's flexibility will automatically increase. This type of flexibility is vital to people who perform a lot of sports or other physical activities that require sprinting, jumping and cutting. Weak abdominal muscles will make it much more difficult for the person to perform these activities without any difficulty. If you want to perform your favorite physical activities like sports without any problems, then you must consider doing the right stretching exercises for the ab muscles.
The most popular among all the different kinds of stretching exercises is the abdominal breathing technique. It is done by first sitting down and placing both of your hands on your abdomen. You should feel a small muscle group right under your belly button. Now, inhale deeply through your nose and slowly expand your chest as far as you can. You should be able to feel similar pressure from the diaphragm up to your shoulders. Hold this position for 5 seconds and exhale before going back to your original position.
Another good stretching exercise that you can do is doing abdominal crunches. To do this, you will need to lie on your back and lift your knees straight up. Place your hands at your sides and start squeezing your stomach as you extend your body back like an upside-down V. Do repetitions with your desired number until you feel the ab muscles getting tight. Do this type of workout every day to promote overall flexibility training.
Other than the static stretching exercises, there are also dynamic ones that you can include in your daily workout routine. Dynamic stretching helps in improving your flexibility by strengthening the muscles and increasing their flexibility. If you want to do the exercise for the benefit of your flexibility training, you should hold a lightweight on each hand. Then, squat down as far as you can without any struggle or pain. Hold this position for several seconds before lifting your legs Up
