Why Stretching is Important

Why you Shouldn't Skip Stretching

One illustration to convince you how important stretching your muscles is before undertaking a workout is to take a piece of taffy out of the refrigerator and try to stretch it. That is the same way in which your muscles react when they are cold. Stretch them before your work out in order that they can become limber and warmed up, otherwise, you will be setting yourself up for injuries. In order to warm up, stretch your muscles and hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, but do not bounce. Do this for five to ten minutes. Then exercise sensibly; then cool down by exercising even less stressfully for five to ten minutes; then gently stretch again for 15 to 30 seconds. If you are sweating, you have probably warmed up enough.

There are several things you should be aware of when stretching. First of all, breathing is an important aspect of exercise, and you need to breathe deeply while you are holding the stretch. You can actually feel the muscle release if you are breathing properly. Breathing through your mouth is probably most comfortable for you. However, if you should become short of breath, inhale through your nose and exhale out of your mouth for 10 breaths. This forces air back into your diaphragm. Do not inhale through your mouth.

Oxygen is supplied to your muscles when you breathe through your diaphragm and it then flushes out the lactic acid; this accounts for the burning sensation and stiffness that you may experience. You will be able to see how your body responds when it changes back into the performance method when you are breathing through your nose.
 
 

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