Six Stretches To Keep Your Muscles Supple

Every day you perform many activities that require a different level of physical exertion. Even in a job where you apparently just sit. So your muscles have to be ready for all those daily challenges. That is why it is useful to learn some stretching exercises to train your muscles.

The purpose of stretching exercises is to increase and maintain flexibility and also ensure that you do not lose it. They will also help you reduce any discomfort due to physical activity.

Suppleness is the ability of the muscles to move the joints. They do this according to the range of their mobility without feeling pain or causing harm.

When you increase your flexibility, your body will also increase and maintain the amount of lubricant in the joints. This reduces the friction between the muscle fibers.

In summary, this means that stretching exercises to keep your muscles flexible will prevent interruptions or injuries when you perform an exercise.

Never start muscle stretching without warming up first.

When you do stretches when the muscles are cold, the risk of strain is greater. You can also achieve the opposite effect that you had in mind.

You don’t have to do an extensive warm up. It is enough that you do low-intensity exercises for five to ten minutes.

There are different types of stretching exercises. But we want to give you some examples here. Everyone can perform at least one of these, regardless of the level of physical activity you are used to.

1. Neck Side Bends

When you are going through a stressful period, it can happen that your trapezius muscle starts to hurt. These muscles run from the underside of the skull and the upper part of the neck to the edge of the shoulder blades. There they are connected to the shoulders.

• To relax this zone, stand up straight. Then try to tilt the head to one shoulder and then to the other shoulder. Alternate this move while keeping the shoulders level without shrugging them.

2. Calf stretches

• To perform this exercise, lean your hands and forearms against a wall. Make sure they form a 90 degree angle.

• Now lean forward as you bend one leg forward and extend the other leg behind you. The soles of the feet should remain on the ground.
• Make sure your entire body is in a straight line. That way, the front knee will be bent and the back leg extended.
• Try to hold this pose for about twenty to thirty seconds. Then slowly alternate with your other leg.

3. Train the adductor muscles

• Get on your knees. Make sure your toes are straight.
• Let the forearms rest at a right angle on a flat surface, under your shoulders and without arching your back. Exhale slowly.

• As you exhale, move your knees apart and lower your chest toward the floor. At the same time, extend the arms and slide them forward until they are straight.

You will find that this is a somewhat demanding exercise. But try to do them at your own pace and perform at your level of agility.

4. Stretch the back of the legs

You can perform this exercise while sitting on the floor. Keep both legs extended in front of you.

• Put a towel or exercise band under your feet and take both ends in your hands.
• Now gently pull the band towards your body as far as you can. The idea is to pull the band until you feel the backs of the legs (especially the hamstrings) stretch.

• Hold this position for twenty to thirty seconds and then slowly release.

5. Lower Back Exercises

• Lie on your back, bend your knees  and bring them toward your chest.
• Hold your thighs with your hands. Bring your heels to your buttocks as you lift your hips off the floor.
• We recommend holding this pose for thirty to forty seconds.

6. Upper Back Exercises

To do this stretch, you need a fulcrum. It should be at a height between your shoulders and your hips.

• Stand in front of this support point, at a distance of about one meter. Extend the arms so that you can grip the fulcrum.
• Now lower your upper body without arching your back. Keep your legs straight.
• Exhale slowly and try to lower your shoulders as you stretch the back.

You see that there are many stretching exercises. But when choosing an exercise, there are a few factors to consider. Age, physical condition, the type of exercise or sport you practice play a role.

Doing these stretches after a workout or other physical activity will help prevent your body from rapidly deteriorating. In addition, it will ensure that you remain more mobile throughout your life.

If a stretch is too difficult or painful for you, or if you don’t know how to do it properly, don’t continue.  You could then hurt yourself. In these cases, it is better to replace the exercise with another stretching exercise that resembles it.

In addition, we don’t recommend stretching if you have osteoporosis, injuries, sprains, inflammation or an infection somewhere in your body that you want to pay attention to.

For that reason, we suggest that you consult your doctor. Because it is important that you rule out possible problems before doing stretching exercises to make your muscles more flexible.

We hope you enjoy these exercises!