Our muscles contain tendons that act like tiny springs so that we have high agility. However, they will only work at their best if we perform stretching exercises before exerting force every time.
Before starting exercise, even if you are a healthy adult and especially if you are a senior adult or have a heart condition, you should always do some warmups to get your body ready.
Please keep in mind that you should not exercise without some warmups. There are so many reasons, but most importantly, tendons and ligaments tend to decline over time, causing them to tear easily. Stretching exercises cause the tiny springs to be ready to do some work.
The foundation of stretching will warm up the muscles. Patients with heart condition will need longer warmups than normal. It is recommended to do some stretching exercises for 10 – 15 minutes.
Why Do Stretching Exercises?
- Prevent damage to the joints as well as muscle injuries.
- Prepare the body more effectively so that the exercise will have better results.
- Help relax the muscles after exercises.
- Reduce muscle tightness.
- Reduce risks to the vertebrae.
How Should We Stretch?
- Stretching should be performed before and after strenuous exercises such as aerobics or weight lifting.
- If you are not going to do aerobics or weight lifting, try walking for a bit before stretching.
Rules of Stretching Exercises
- Breath in deeply and slowly before letting out your breath.
- Do not overstretch such that you feel pain. Once you stretch as far as you can, just stop right there. Do not overexert until the pain becomes unbearable because it could lead to injuries. We are trying to stretch to relax them not to cause injuries.
- Once you have stretched out, stay in that position for 10 – 15 seconds for beginners and 15 – 30 seconds for frequent stretchers before returning to original position.
- Stretch before and after exercise routine.
- You should stretch your muscles by yourself or use as little help as possible so that you know where the tension is or where it hurts. That way, you can control your own movement.
- Do not jerk or bounce during stretching exercise.
Precautions
- Stretching will not cause joint pain. If you feel pain, it means you are overstretching.
- Stretch a little bit at a time or make small movements until you get to the position that you want. Do not jerk or push too hard.