Full-body stretching workout routine: detailed methods from neck to calves.
Stretching greatly improves flexibility, and good flexibility can also increase muscle elasticity, making everyday tasks like bending over to tie shoelaces much easier.
However, stretching exercises sound easy, but they are not simply about stretching for a few minutes after exercise; doing so will not be effective.
Truly effective stretching training is systematic and often takes several weeks or even months to improve the body's flexibility.
Each stretching exercise should ideally last for more than 10 minutes.
With the development of fitness standards, foreign fitness knowledge has been gradually introduced into China, and stretching courses and books have gained attention. Many fitness studios have even opened stretching courses.
Yoga and Pilates do indeed greatly improve flexibility, and in most people's minds, people who practice yoga are very flexible.
However, yoga and Pilates differ from actual stretching exercises: yoga emphasizes mental and physical calmness and balance with the external environment; Pilates, on the other hand, encourages more muscle control and precise training.
As flexibility improves, the body's strength and endurance also increase.
Stretching training is similar to strength training; both require a gradual process.
When your body can withstand prolonged, high-intensity stretching exercises, it proves that your flexibility has also made a qualitative leap.
Stretching not only increases flexibility, but also effectively relieves muscle soreness and physical fatigue.
Stretching muscle tissue reduces muscle tension and promotes blood circulation, which can alleviate muscle soreness.
In fact, the human body has innate stretching habits. For example, stretching when you get up will make you feel much better; sitting in front of the computer for a long time will also make you subconsciously raise your arms and twist your neck.
These are all signs that your brain is telling you that your muscles are tense and need to stretch and relax.
It's easy to understand that doing stretching exercises every day can increase joint flexibility.
For example, during pre-competition warm-ups, swimmers perform rapid and wide-ranging dynamic stretching exercises centered on the shoulders, mimicking the arm movements of butterfly stroke in the water. This increases the range of motion of the shoulder joints, leading to better performance in the competition.
Stretching can also improve many physical problems, such as uneven shoulders, leg length discrepancy, anterior pelvic tilt, and posterior pelvic tilt.
Prolonged poor standing and sitting postures can cause muscle imbalances, and the problem with your posture will quickly become noticeable.
Some coaches with very obvious training results may also have a hunchback. This is due to an imbalance in the tension and contraction of the back muscles. Their usual solution is to stretch the tight chest muscles, as well as the upper trapezius and scalene muscles.
The correct way to correct posture is through a combination of stretching and strength training.
As mentioned earlier when explaining foam rolling, the training process is foam rolling - stretching - training - foam rolling - stretching.
Before engaging in aerobic exercises such as running or swimming, it is necessary to warm up. Dynamic stretching helps your body prepare, as stretching is like giving your muscles a signal that they are about to start working.
After finishing your workout, use stretching exercises to calm your body and relax tense muscles.
If you don't stretch and relax after exercise, your muscles will remain in a tense state, which will only cause more soreness.
II. Stretching Exercise Procedures and Methods
Below is a summary of stretching procedures and methods. Even if you don't have a training schedule or weight loss plan recently, you can still do the following stretching exercises every day. They are very helpful for various parts of the body, making you feel more comfortable and preventing and relieving stiffness and pain caused by prolonged sitting.
stretching
Neck stretch
Target areas: sternocleidomastoid muscle, trapezius muscle
Sit up straight, hold the chair with one hand, and use the other hand to pull your head down gently, bringing your ears close to your shoulders.
Hold for 30-60 seconds, and do 4 sets on each side.
Sit up straight, hold the chair with one hand, and use the other hand to pull your head down towards your armpit as far as possible.
Hold for 30-60 seconds, and do 4 sets on each side.
Shoulder stretch
Target area: Shoulder muscles
Lie on your side with your leg extended on that side and your other foot on the ground, and tilt your pelvis forward as much as possible.
Place a yoga block under your head and extend the arm on the same side as your supporting leg behind you.
Retract the scapula.
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, and do 4 sets on each side.
You can also stretch your arms straight back and clasp them together to get a greater stretching sensation.
Abdominal stretch
Target areas: rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis
Lie flat on the ground with your feet naturally apart and your hands raised above your head.
Extend your arms and legs to both ends.
Hold for 30 seconds, repeat 4 sets.
Hip muscle stretch
Target area: Hip flexors
Kneel on one knee, with one foot forward for support, and place your hands on your hips.
Lean forward.
Hold for 30 seconds, repeat 4 sets.
Iliopsoas muscle stretch
Target area: Iliopsoas muscle
Kneel on one knee, with the other foot supporting your weight, and press the knee on that side forward.
Stand upright and raise the arm on the side of your knee joint while kneeling.
Then tilt slightly to the opposite side and rotate your upper body.
Hold for 30 seconds, and do 4 sets on each side.
Hip stretch
Target areas: gluteal muscles, piriformis muscles
Lie face up on the ground with your legs bent.
Place one leg over the knee of the other leg.
Wrap your arms around the front of the leg on the ground and pull it toward your chest.
Hold for 30 seconds, and do 4 sets on each side.
Hip Stretch - Pigeon Pose
Target areas: gluteal muscles, piriformis muscles
Kneel on both knees, sit on your heels, support yourself with your arms on the ground at your sides, and place the tops of your feet on the ground.
Extend one leg straight back, keeping both legs parallel.
Move your arms forward to the front of your body and place your palms on the ground.
Press your body down as far as possible and hold for 30 seconds.
Do 4 sets on each side.
Front thigh stretch
Target area: Quadriceps femoris
Stand with your feet together, bend one knee, grab the forefoot of that foot with your opposite hand, and pull your heel toward your buttocks.
The other hand can be used to hold onto an object in front of the body to maintain balance.
Stretch for 30 seconds, do 4 sets.
Enhanced version of front thigh stretch
Target area: Quadriceps femoris
Kneel on one knee, place one leg forward on the ground to maintain body stability.
With your other hand on the ground, straighten your chest, use the opposite hand to pull your back leg upwards and bend your leg so that your heel touches your buttocks, and thrust your hips forward.
Stretch for 30 seconds, do 4 sets.