I have to be honest; I’m guilty of something that has taught me a huge lesson in fitness. I’m one of those personal trainers that tells my clients to stretch regularly, and I myself have neglected to do the same. In return, this has caused quite a bit of trouble for me in my fit life. My limited range of motion has led to body aches as well as increased my risk for injury. When I began lifting weights, I neglected stretching. I knew it was important but hey, I was young and active… I didn’t need to stretch that much, right? Wrong! You see, each time we train intensely we tear the fibers in our muscles. As the muscle fibers heal we get stronger and grow but, without proper stretching, those little fibers heal tight. What was the end result of my lack of stretching, you ask? I could barely touch my toes or even touch my chin to my chest. Not only did this put me at a super high risk for injury, but it also gave me headaches, head pressure, jaw pain, and body aches. What’s more, I wasn’t able to reach my full potential performance wise. So, with that said, I have taken on stretching and made it a regular part of my routine. Here are a few of the amazing benefits of stretching for the active female:
Increased Flexibility — As you age, gain lean muscle mass, and excel in fitness, your muscles gradually become shorter and tighter, reducing your overall flexibility. This restriction makes you more susceptible to muscle, tendon and joint injuries. Stretching is primarily responsible for increasing flexibility, and it reduces the risk of injury significantly. Increased flexibility also allows you to exercise more easily with no feeling of tightness.
Reduces Stress — Stress causes your muscles to contract, becoming tense. This tension can have negative effects on just about every part of your body. Gentle stretching exercises relax tense muscles associated with stress. Also, since stretching is an exercise, it has the same endorphin-boosting effects, improving your mood and the way you feel in general.
Fight Lower back Pain — As women we all can relate to lower back pain. Unfortunately, millions of people struggle with chronic lower back pain. Stretching is an excellent way to strengthen the lower back muscles, alleviating soreness and pain. Since many muscles (quadriceps, hamstrings, lower back muscles and hip flexors) contribute to your posture, stretching these muscles has the ability to greatly reduce or eliminate lower back pain. In combination with a strength training program, your back will become stronger and more stable.
Relieve PMS symptoms — Now here is some great news: Studies show that women who suffer from PMS symptoms, such as pain, emotional imbalance, and bloating, report benefits from performing yoga stretches. Researchers have found that after yoga, women who suffered from PMS had higher levels of the hormone allopregnanolone. This hormone acts as a natural antidepressant in the body.
Fights fatigue — When muscles stay still the blood pools in the muscles, which can make you feel tired and even sluggish. As soon as you stretch, the blood is able to circulate thought the body and in turn will get your brain moving. Pre-training I recommend performing active stretches with a warm up for 5 minutes. For example, do knee highs, butt kicks, toe touches and hip twists. Active stretching will help warm the muscles up by increasing blood flow. Post training I recommend regular elongated stretches for 5 to 10 minutes. Tip: Never hold a stretch longer than 20 seconds on a cold muscle. This can cause injury. – See more at: http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com/blogs/sj-mcshane/benefits-stretching#sthash.hDT5uvB3.dpuf
