You have most likely heard, “make sure to stretch beforehand” a LOT, especially when you first started working out, but was it ever explained why that is? Did you ever understand the reasoning behind stretching before any exercise? As it turns out, there are a lot of reasons why this is extremely important and crucial to your wellbeing. Let’s take a look at some of these reasons why stretching is important.
Prevents Injury
This is probably the biggest thing in regard to stretching. Stretching and getting your muscles moving prepares them before doing any activity. This being said, it relieves stress and tension in the muscles when they tighten up. These muscles typically tighten to defend the body when anxiety and feelings that are overwhelming hit the body. Stretching reverses this and can make your days much more comfortable.
Increased Flexibility
The more you move, the more flexible you will become. Similarly, stretching becomes much easier over time. It is much better for the joints and can help you avoid joint pain, as well as strains to the muscle and overall damage to your body’s muscles. You range of motion has the opportunity to increase, and your balance can become better as well.
Less Soreness
Soreness is typically caused by a lack of blood flow to certain areas of the body before exercising. By stretching, you increase the blood and nutrient supply. Your blood flows better, and because of this nutrients are carried through the blood and spread throughout the body much better than they would have without stretching beforehand.
Better Posture
Stretching helps to strengthen your muscles with ultimately leads to proper alignment of muscles, meaning that your chest muscles typically become more vertical. Due to working on computers all day, many people have this issue. The chest muscles tighten up and therefore pull your entire body forward into a slouching position. This can work wonders on your muscles and lengthen tight muscles like never before.
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