As you know, you must always stretch before starting a physical effort. To warm up, stretching refers to all the stretching and flexibility techniques. The benefits of stretching? Optimize the condition of the muscles of the body, joints, tendons and ligaments …
the stretching (“Extension” in English) is initially a gentle (but very sporty) gymnastics which is directly inspired by yoga! Practiced before and after physical exercise, the aim of stretching postures is to optimize the condition of all the muscles in the body, joints, tendons and ligaments … These techniques improve balance, blood circulation and muscles. energies.
The benefits of stretching
Through slow exercises, the muscles work deep. The objective is to soften all of his muscles and therefore of his body, to improve his flexibility, to eliminate stiffness and therefore to maintain his physical form.
Thanks to this slow and deep work, which often takes place to soft music, stretching helps to evacuate psychic tensions, foremost among which is stress. Relaxation is therefore there!
Breathing is indeed essential, not only to achieve this goal but also to stretch your muscles deeply. Experience it: focusing on your breathing and by taking your time, you will find that muscles stretch much more easily! This is the first of the benefits of stretching.
Slow but intense activity
We often think of stretching as a slow activity, and therefore very gentle. Warning: appearances are deceptive! Indeed, despite its apparent ease, stretching is an intense activity.
The gestures are relatively complex, and it is necessary to perform them well, with the help of a coach for example, to avoid any accident.
However, stretching remains an activity open to all, athletes and non-athletes, young and old, on condition that certain precautions are taken.
Better to take a few lessons to adopt right from the start and the right gestures. So do not hesitate to call on a coach or seek advice from a physiotherapist.
Stretching should be done gently
Then, no need to force: go smoothly and at your own pace. If you feel that a muscle is resisting or a joint hurts, report it to the coach and get some rest.
If you have a cramp, stop for a few moments to relieve it, take a deep breath, and then resume the exercise. And especially, do not be discouraged : the benefits of stretching are real as long as you persevere …
If you’re new to stretching, start with the following pattern: stretch, relax, then stretch. For 20 seconds or less, hold the position in inhaling deeply through the nose and in exhaling through the mouth.
