Rushed for time? So what do you skip? Stretching. It’s one of the most important parts of your exercise regimen and you often skip it; not realizing or appreciating its importance.
Stretching Recommendations
- Stretch at the END of your workout when the muscles are warm and pliable.
- Block out time for stretching. If you have one hour to workout, block out at least the last 5 minutes for stretching.
- Hold stretches for a minimum of 20 seconds, the longer the better for flexibility gains.
- Stretch the muscles you strengthened in your workout. So…if you worked on chest, back and abdominals, be sure to stretch those muscle groups.
- Stretches should be held at the edge of discomfort, not sharp pain.
- Take a Yoga or Stretch class 2 to 3 times per week.
This may seem like a lot of time to set aside for stretching. However, in some mind/body classes, like PiYo Strength, you can benefit from all of the components of health and fitness in a one hour class!
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You are not “wasting time” stretching….you are burning calories, doing cardio, strength, endurance and flexibility training all at once. Not to mention having fun doing it!
