A high degree of flexibility is something most of us are born with, but tend to lose over time. The unfortunate thing is that low flexibility can sideline physical activity and increase chances for injury, weight gain and even health concerns down the road.

If it’s time to get a little more stretch in your swagger, there are some great tips you can follow. Here are just a few things you can do to boost flexibility and make daily living – an exercise – more enjoyable:

1. Just get up and stretch – When you wake up in the morning and even before you go to bed, give your muscles a gentle workout. Stretch your limbs, reach for the sky and touch your toes. If it’s painful to do this, consider easy stretching in the shower where hot water can help ease muscle tension and tightness.
2. Focus on the tightest muscles – While it’s absolutely important to stretch out all your muscle on a regular basis to keep them limber and loose, the tighter muscles deserve the most attention. In fact, it’s a good idea to double the time you spend on stretching your tightest muscle groups. This can help you limber up these muscles more quickly and will aid you in gaining the overall flexibility you’re after.
3. Don’t push it too far – It can take a little time to loosen up muscles that have lost their flexibility. Don’t expect miracles overnight. Just stick with it and take a little time out each and every day to stretch.
4. Make stretching part of your break-time routine – If you work in an office, it’s a good idea to get up and move around at least once a half-hour (or once an hour if you can’t get away with more than that). When you do get up, work a little stretching into the mix. Touch your toes, perform twists to loosen your back muscles and so on.
5. Stay hydrated and properly fueled – Proper hydration and nutrition are imperative for good muscle health. If you want to increase your flexibility, you have to treat your muscle right. Be sure to eat healthy, balanced meals and do hydrate properly to keep muscles in good shape.
6. Workout – Once of the best ways to build muscle health and flexibility involves getting into a regular exercise routine. If you’re not sure where to start, just talk to the folks at your neighborhood fitness center or gym. They’ll be able to assist you with the proper stretches to achieve the flexibility goals you have put in place for yourself. You might even consider a group yoga class to make gaining flexibility a little more fun.

About the Author

 

Robin Mungall is the owner of “Robin Mungall Fitness”, St.Albert and St.Albert’s premier personal fitness and fat loss trainers.  If you’re ready to begin your fat loss journey please call 780-554-9569 right now to receive a complimentary nutrition and fitness Consultation.