Fitness Advice for a Healthy Lifestyle

Stretching Exercises

cartoon stretchingStretching is a wonderful way to elongate your muscles.  Whenever you are body building or are doing any kind of weight training, you really should include stretching after your workout.  You see, when you are lifting weights and building up muscle, the muscles contract.  So it would be natural to stretch the same muscles, to help reduce lactic acid, lengthen the muscles you worked on, but also to maintain flexibility even with larger muscles.

I’m just going to review a few basic stretches to help you on your way.  Tight hamstrings and hip flexors can lead to low back pain.  So let’s try to avoid any issues with the low back right from the beginning.

Here’s a good hamstring stretch:

  • Stand tall, shoulders back, tummy tight.hamstring stretches
  • Extend 1 leg in front of you, with the heel down and the toe lifted.
  • Inhale and as you lower your chest to your thigh, push your hips back and keep your back flat.
  • Try NOT to round your shoulders and hold for at least 20 seconds.
  • Repeat with each leg.

Hip Flexor Stretch:

  • Bring 1 leg behind you as if you were going to do a lunge.hip flexor stretch
  • Keep the back heel lifted, back toes stay on the floor.
  • Bend both knees and sink straight down into a lunge.
  • Do not lean forward, keep the shoulders and chest lifted.
  • When you are in your lunge, inhale and exhale and push the back leg’s hips forward.
  • If you are executing this properly, you will feel a stretch in the front of your thigh (Quadricep) and above that into your hip flexors.
  • Switch legs and repeat with the other leg. 
  • If you need a chair, hold onto it for help with your balance.

Chest Stretch:

  • For a good chest stretch, stand tall, shoulders back, tummy tight, legs hip width apart.
  • Bring your arms behind you and clasp your hands (if you can).chest stretch
  • Squeeze the shoulder blades together and as you exhale, lift up the arms behind you pushing your chest forward.
  • You can also push your chin up toward the ceiling.

Here are a few examples of stretching that you can work on.  Stretching takes time and warm muscles. Hold each stretch for at least 20 seconds, longer if you have the time. Do these stretches after you have worked out when your muscles are warm.  You to can be a long lean machine!!