Why Stretching is Important – the Benefits of Stretching Exercises

A lot of people fail to understand why it is important to stretch after workouts, as recommended by trainers. Stretching is actually the act of extending a part of the body or the entire body to the full length with the aim of flexing all the muscles and helping the body to be flexible. It is very important to stretch regularly, and especially after working out. There are various health benefits of stretching, and knowing about some of them will surely motivate you to have a couple of stretches after you work out the next time.

 

It can help muscles to relax

During exercises, muscles come under stress and tend to contract with the effort. Stretching properly can help to ease the tension on the muscles that occurs due to their contraction. If the contracted muscles are allowed to stay stiff, they are likely to resist movement and begin degenerating. But stretching them properly each and every day after workouts can help them to stay healthy, supple and flexible.

 

It can enhance mobility

By helping the muscles to stay flexible, stretching helps to increase the mobility of practitioners. By extending the muscles to as much as possible, it can increase the muscular length and improve the range of motion. The joints and limbs are able to move in every possible direction and the overall fitness of a person can be improved.

 

It can increase flexibility

Regular stretching can keep the tendons and muscles properly functioning and allow them to stay flexible. This allows them to stay flexible and perform even strenuous movements with minimal risk of injuries. It can assist in everyday functions that demand physical flexibility, such as running suddenly to catch a train or bending over to pick up an object from the ground. Even if the muscles suffer any type of injury, the recovery is quicker and there is minimal pain due to the resilience that is developed due to daily stretches.

 

It can improve overall health

Stretching every day helps to energise the body and increase the confidence and mental alertness of a person, which can help him or her to carry out various kinds of tasks. It can also increase awareness of an individual about his capabilities, functions and the entire body. Stretching workouts, such as those of Yoga, can help prevent coronary blockages, cardiac disorders and rise in bad cholesterol levels. They can improve the circulation of oxygenated and nutrient-rich blood to different areas of the body, leading to an improvement in overall health.

Stretching plays a huge role in all our classes but especially in Muay Thai, where mobility and flexibility is an extremely important attribute. For more information on flexibility or any of our classes please feel free to contact us