Are tight muscles causing you pain? Consider stretching to bring relief. Stretching can relieve tension. It helps keep muscles more flexible and increases the range of motion. If your muscles become tight with a limited range of motion, they also become weak and prone to injury. If you’re constantly sitting, when you get up, your leg muscles are tight and it’s hard to straighten your legs completely. That can change how you walk and your posture, causing issues in other parts of your body. Stretching tight muscles keeps your entire body functioning at its best.
Stretch up and reach the sky.
If you’re first getting out of bed, touching your toes should be the last thing you do. Your muscles need to be warmed to do that. Start by stretching your arms out and back, similar to yawning arm motions. Stand next to the bed. Raise your arms and try to touch the ceiling, stretching upward as far as you can with your upward body. Bend side-to-side with your arms up then lower your arms and keep them out to your sides and twist your upper-body from side-to-side.
Stretching your hamstrings can bring relief from back pain.
There are many types of hamstring stretches. One of the simplest gets great results. You need a towel to do it. Lie on your back on the floor. Create a loop in a long towel by holding one end in each hand. Loop it around one foot and lift that leg as you keep the other leg on the ground. You’ll start to feel it stretch on the back of your thighs. Hold that position for up to a half minute. Lower your leg and do the other leg. Repeat several times.
Use yoga to loosen muscles and improve flexibility.
Yoga poses are stretches. Many work on core muscles. Combining two poses, the cat and the cow pose, can improve core muscles and help relax tight muscles. Start on your hands and knees on a mat. Do the cat pose first. Arch your back like a cat as you lower your head. Pull your stomach in tightly. Hold that pose for a half minute. Then lift your head and drop your belly, creating a swayback appearance. Hold the pose and return to the cat pose.
- Do arm circles, across-the-chest stretches, chest expansion, and seated twists to help relieve shoulder tension. Just rolling your shoulders can be enough to bring relief.
- If you’ve sat at a computer for over an hour, getting up and stretching helps increase mental capabilities and improves overall health. While getting up and stretching is best, seated arm stretches are also beneficial.
- Doing a butt kick can help relieve muscle tension in the legs. Lift your leg behind you until it touches your bottom or you can’t get it any higher. Eventually, your muscles will loosen until you can reach your buttocks. Repeat on the opposite leg.
- More flexibility not only protects the muscles from injury and helps prevent pain from muscle tension, but it also helps improve your posture, making you look more assured and thinner. It also improves digestion and other bodily functions.
For more information, contact us today at Hawaii Fit Camp!
