Stretching exercises makes your muscles flexible
Highlights
- You can perform stretching exercise anywhere, anytime
- Stretching can improve your flexibility and balance
- Stretching exercises can improve your mobility
Stretching exercises should be an important part of your fitness routine. These can offer several benefits to your body and help you maximise the results of your workout. After a quick warm-up, you must try stretching. It improves flexibility and helps you reduce muscle stiffness. Stretching results in warm muscles which reduces the risk of injury and helps you maintain better posture. These exercises also improve blood flow in the muscles resulting in reduced muscle soreness. But overstretching can be harmful to your muscles. You need to take care of certain factors while stretching to prevent injuries. Here are some mistakes you need to avoid-
Mistakes you should avoid while stretching
1. Not warming up
You should stretch with warm muscles. Warm-up exercises before stretching can increase the flexibility of your muscles and promote blood flow through them. It will also reduce the risk of injuries. So, start with some warm-up exercises then stretching exercises followed by your workout.
Warm-up before stretching to avoid injuries
Photo Credit: iStock
2. Overstretching the muscles
It is normal to feel little tension and pressure on the muscles while stretching but you should not stretch beyond the comfort level. You should not feel pain while stretching. You need to stop when the stretch starts to hurt. Stretching also puts too much stress on the muscles. Avoid stretching the same muscles multiple times a day.
Also read: Know Why Warming Up Is Important
3. Stretching injured muscles
Injured muscles need time to heal properly. You are wrong if you think that stretching injured muscles will help in recovery. Give your injured muscles time to heal before making those work harder.
Do not stretch injured muscles for better recovery
Photo Credit: iStock
4. Not using the proper techniques
The stretches you choose depends on your fitness level and the workout you choose. Choose the right stretching exercises to avoid injuries and other discomforts.
Also read: This Stretching Routine In Your Warm Up Is All You Need To Be More Flexible- Try It Today!
5. Doing static stretches
If you are standing at one place and stretching, you are working on very limited muscles. These stretches are foods in relieving stress and fatigue but fail to prepare you for a workout.
Also read: Stretching Is Important: Rujuta Diwekar Recommends A Few Stretching Exercises You Should Do Every Day
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.