Stretching exercises should be an integral part of any fitness program as it improves the flexibility of the body. It reduces the strain on the muscles during daily physical activities and increases the fluidity of the body. It relieves pain in the joints as well as the back and heals any injuries in the tendon.

People experience pain to their lower back due to tightness of muscles in the quadriceps, hip flexors, hamstrings and low back muscles. If you stretch these muscles, they become more flexible and can help you eliminate the pain.

Stretching exercises should be done at least a few minutes every day. You need to be consistent in order to increase the range of motion and flexibility of the body. The effects are much better if the routine is regular rather than straining the muscles for a longer time once a week.

If you perform stretching exercises on cold muscles, you may suffer injuries. Hence, it is absolutely necessary to warm up your body before starting to stretch.

Some useful tips while stretching:

• Do not stretch beyond limits or force a stretch. The muscle fibres would be damaged and may tear. This would cause great amount of pain.

• Do not bounce or perform dynamic stretching. Set realistic goals. Otherwise, you risk high physical damage to your body.

• You can stretch your muscles to a maximum of 45-60 seconds. After that, it is important to relax the part that you stretched. Alternate stretch and relaxation and allocate equal times for both. You would see fast results.

• You can perform stretching exercises at least 3 days a week to start with if you cannot follow the routine on a daily basis.

• In case you are not able to stretch well someday, do not force your body or feel disappointed. It is highly possible that such physical strain may not be suitable for your body during some days.

• Pilates and yoga are other great additions to stretching routines. These exercises will help you relax your body in addition to strengthening your body muscles.

• In case you feel the pain in joints after stretching, you need to take extra care to improve the fitness of your joints.

Diet tips:

Stretching exercises demands a lot of stamina from your body, and hence you need to provide adequate nutrition and nourishment to get the best benefits.

• Drink at least 4 litres of water if you weigh about 150 lbs. You’ll need to ensure healthy metabolic processes and flush your cells.

• Consume Vitamin B and C supplements to increase the elasticity of your cell walls. It is advisable to start the supplements for at least 2 weeks before you start your stretch. Add Vitamin E and fatty acids content to help in your regimen.

• Whey protein is a great supplement to add to your diet. Quality proteins replenish the body with essential amino acids and also repair any damages to the cell walls and muscles after stretching.

Mark Perry

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