Fitness is the new mantra. The adage ‘Health is Wealth’ is finally having its moment of glory. Fitness comes in many forms, offering plenty of options to fit your lifestyle. Full-body stretching exercises should be an essential part of your fitness regimen. Full-body stretching exercises target all major muscle groups, promoting flexibility and relaxation.
Incorporating full-body stretching exercises into your daily routine is a simple yet powerful way to increase flexibility and release built-up muscle tension. These exercises should be performed daily for maximum gains. Full-body stretching exercises are beneficial for all age groups; however, it’s important to take into account individual factors such as current flexibility, any existing health conditions, and overall mobility. The advantages of full-body stretching are numerous, including enhanced flexibility, injury prevention, improved posture, and reduced stress.
Full-body stretching exercises are mandatory post-workout. They can be done as part of your morning routine to get the body started for the day ahead. After a long day, they are best to ease the tension in the muscles. On days that you can’t find the motivation to work out, full-body stretching exercises can be your recourse.
Benefits of Full-Body Stretching Exercises
“Stretching exercises promote flexibility, so you move fluidly”
– Denise Austin (American professional fitness coach and writer)
The benefits of full-body stretching exercises are not immediate. It requires consistency and long-term investment of time and effort. Some of the research-backed benefits are enumerated below:
Increases flexibility
Full-body stretching exercises improve flexibility when done consistently over time. They can help increase your range of motion. This is especially important in your mature years, as mobility is reduced. Everyday activities can be handled with far more ease if flexibility improves. Increased flexibility can help improve overall health as well.
Boosts Circulation
Full-body stretching exercises, when performed regularly, improve circulation. After a good workout in the private gym near you, the body will feel stiff and sore. A good full-body stretch will increase the blood flow to the muscles, which will shorten recovery time and reduce muscle soreness (also known as delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS).
Improves Posture
Bad posture can be the result of muscle imbalance. Studies have proven that a combination of strengthening and stretching specific groups can reduce musculoskeletal pain and encourage proper alignment. Correcting the alignment leads to better posture.
Reduces Stress and Tension
If you are experiencing any kind of stress, chances are your muscles are tense. That’s because your muscles tend to tighten up in response to physical and emotional stress. It will be beneficial to focus on the area of the body that feels tense, such as the neck, shoulders, or upper back, and stretch out those muscles.
Improves Performance in Physical Activities
Dynamic full-body stretching exercises before any physical activity have been shown to prepare the muscles for the stress of the physical activity, such as playing a sport. It can also help improve your performance in an athletic event or exercise.
Helps to Heal and Prevent Back Pain
Full-body stretching exercises can be an effective way to improve function and decrease back pain. A regular stretching routine can help prevent future back pain by strengthening your back muscles and decreasing back pain.
Helps Calm Your Mind
Full-body stretching can help calm the mind besides improving flexibility. You can double the benefits by practicing meditation as you stretch. This will give you a mental break and help you relax. They can also ease tension headaches.
Types of Stretching
There are different types of full-body stretching exercises:
Static Stretching
Static stretching is a type of full-body stretching exercise where you hold a stretch in a comfortable position for a period of time, typically between 10 and 30 seconds. This is the best way to stretch after a good workout.
Dynamic Stretching
Dynamic stretching involves active movements that cause your muscles to stretch without holding a position for long. These full-body stretching exercises are done before your workout to get your muscles ready for movement.
PNF Stretching
PNF stretching techniques involve stretching a muscle to its limit. Doing this triggers the inverse myotatic reflex, a protective reflex that calms the muscle to prevent injury.
Full-Body Stretching Routine
Here are some stretches you can do if you want to try a full-body stretching exercise.
Upper Body stretches
Neck stretch
Gently tilt your head to one side, hold for a few seconds, then repeat on the other side.
Chest stretch
Stand with your hands behind your back, fingers interlocked, and gently pull your shoulder blades together to open your chest.
Triceps stretch
Reach one arm overhead and bend it, then use your other hand to gently pull your elbow towards the middle of your back.
Bicep stretch
Extend your arm straight out in front of you, then reach across your body with the opposite hand to gently pull your elbow
Shoulder stretch
Bring your arm across your body and hold it with the opposite hand to stretch your shoulder muscles.
Lower body stretches
Hamstring stretch
Lie on your back with one leg extended and the other bent at a 90-degree angle. Extend the bent leg until you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh.
Quadriceps stretch
Stand with one foot behind you and grab your foot, pulling your heel towards your glutes to stretch your quadriceps.
Hip Flexor stretch
Kneel on one knee, with the other leg extended in front of you. Lean forward and gently stretch your hip flexors.
Calf stretch
Stand with one leg in front of you and lean towards that leg to stretch your calf muscle.
Butterfly stretch
Sit with the soles of your feet together and let your knees fall open. Gently push your knees down towards the floor to stretch your inner thighs.
Full-Body stretching exercises
Knee-to-chest stretch
Lie on your back with legs straight, then bend one knee and gently pull it towards your chest.
Plank
A plank is along, flat piece of timber or other material, typically used in construction or as a surface for exercise or support. A core-strengthening and stretching exercise that engages your entire body.
Cobra pose
Cobra pose isa yoga posture where you lie on your stomach and lift your chest upward while keeping your elbows bent and your palms pressing into the ground, resembling a cobra with its hood raised. Lie face down with your hands under your shoulders, then lift your chest and upper body off the ground.
Downward Dog
Downward Dog is a yoga pose where you form an inverted V-shape by placing your hands and feet on the ground, hips lifted high, and spine extended, promoting full-body stretch and alignment. A yoga pose that stretches the entire body, especially the spine, shoulders, and hamstrings.
Balasana (Child’s Pose)
Balasana, or Child’s Pose, is a restful yoga posture where you kneel on the floor, sit back on your heels, and stretch your arms forward while lowering your torso to the ground, promoting relaxation and gentle stretching of the back and hips. This is a calming stretch that opens the hips and chest.
Runner’s Lunge
A runner's lunge is a dynamic stretch where one leg is bent forward with the knee over the ankle while the other leg extends straight back, helping to open the hips and stretch the legs in preparation for movement. This stretch targets the hip flexors, glutes, and quads.
Pigeon Pose
Pigeon Pose is a deep hip-opening yoga posture where one leg is bent in front of the body with the shin on the mat while the other leg extends straight back, allowing for a deep stretch in the hips and glutes. It’s a deep stretch that opens the hips, thighs, and pelvis.
Important notes:
§ Breathing is very important while stretching. Focus on deep, controlled breaths throughout your stretches.
§ Hold each stretch for 30-60 seconds or longer.
§ Listen to your body. You should feel the stretch, not pain.
§ Consistency is important. Regular full-body stretching exercises will show results.
§ Stretch both sides equally
Wrapping It Up
Full-body stretching exercises are great for improving flexibility and range of motion. It helps release built-up tension in the body, promotes better blood circulation, and supports recovery from muscle soreness.
If you haven’t included full-body stretching exercises into your routine yet, then let this blog be your awakening call. Start your workouts with dynamic stretches and end them with static stretches. The benefits over time will be rewarding and undeniable.
Watch out for more fitness tips.