Stretching

Stretching is often overlooked when people think about going to the gym. When its actually a huge part of our training that we can’t forget about. Stretching is a good thing to participate in before and after ones work out. Whether its stretching your whole body or just a targeted area for what your going to be working on that day. Stretching is what you need to do before your workout and after. Stretching has multiple things that it can help and Harvard Health tells us exactly what that is.

Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to extend all the way. That puts you at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage.

~Harvard Health Publishing

Some Stretches to perform before and after your work out are:

  1. Jumping Jacks
    • Jump from a narrow to a wider stance while raising your arms above your head, then once at the top bring them back down to your side while bringing your legs back to narrow. Then Repeat.
  2. High Knees
    • Stand up and lift your knees to your wait height, repeat this a couple times at a quicker pace.
  3. Butt Kicks
    • While slowly jogging in place flick your feet and ankles back so they tap your butt slightly.
  4. Lateral Shuffles
    • Bend knees slightly, extend your arms forward and bend your elbows, take a step to the right and bring the left foot to your right foot, then repeat on the other leg a couple times back and forth.
  5. Forward Lunges
    • Step forward with one foot, put weight on your front foot, then return back to standing and switch legs.
  6. Lateral Lunges
    •  Step out to one side and plant your foot, shift weight to that side and hold it there until shifting your weight all the way to the other leg and really feeling the stretch in the hips and hamstrings.
  7. Arm Circles
    • With your arms straight out move them in a circular motion then after a while switch directions of the circle.
  8. Push-Ups
    • Start in a tall plank position then lower yourself to the ground using your arm strength and push yourself back up.
  9. Throwing Motions
    • Move your arms in the motions as if going to throw a ball.
  10. Body Weight Squats
    • Squat in place while really trying to focus on targeting those hamstrings’.