Stretching is beneficial to everyone because the muscles in our body will begin to stiffen as time passes. Yoga which is all stretching keeps all the muscles super flexible. Here are the benefits of stretching. I stretch every morning, doing some of the stretches in the chart below. The challenge all the stretches in the chart.
Stretching offers numerous health and fitness benefits:
- Relaxation: Put simply, stretching feels good. It’s an excellent way to cool down and relax after an invigorating workout. Furthermore, research has shown that stretching can lower blood pressure and improve artery function. It’s a natural stress reliever.
- Increase flexibility: Flexibility refers to the degree to which an individual muscle will lengthen. As we age, our muscles grow shorter and tighter and we become less flexible. As a result, we become more susceptible to injuries. Stretching is an effective way to maintain and increase flexibility. A regular stretching routine will keep you flexible—and hopefully, injury-free.
- Soothing Muscles: Many of us experience muscle tightness in our quadriceps, hamstrings, and hip flexors. What we may not realize is that this muscle tightness is a common cause of low back pain. Short, tight muscles result in impaired movement patterns and compensation, which leads to low back pain. A regular stretching routine can help solve this common problem.
Improve circulation: Stretching increases the blood flow to the muscles, which not only helps to nourish the muscles, but also helps to eliminate waste byproducts from muscle tissue.
Stretching boost fitness!