Stretching and Warmup Tips
By Ruff Raun
Always be sure you are loose and have your blood circulating with some light physical activity or aerobics.
As we get older we will naturally start to lose our flexibility and increase the chances of injury, whether it is exercise or normal physical activity. Stretching will increase your flexibility and help prevent injury, so it's a good idea to make it part of your lifestyle, especially if you have been inactive.
You want to gently stretch the muscles and tendons by holding the stretch for about 15 to 20 seconds. Be sure to do enough repetitions of each stretching routine so you get full results. Always stop if you feel any discomfort or pain.
- Begin by slowly rolling your shoulders and neck. Now swing both arms separately and gently in a windmill type motion which will bring your arm past your hip each time to make the full large circle. Do it both forward and backwards. Then put your arms straight out from your sides and rotate your arms in a tight softball size circular motion.
- Standing with a straight posture and feet about 2 ft. apart, put your hands on your hips and slowly lean to the left and right. Be sure to hold each lean for a short 10 second period or so. Keep your shoulders even with your butt when you do each lean.
- You perform this one the same as the last with hands on hips, only you are now going to rotate your upper body in a full rounding type motion including a downward motion toward your knees. Slow and easy works best.
- With an erect stance, lift your arms up towards the ceiling and carefully go up and down from heels to tippy toes while holding the stretch in the toes position for ten seconds or so.
- While standing erect and hands on hips, slowly go down and touch your toes. Hold, or make a small up and down like pumping motion toward your toes. Then go back up, touch your hips and raise arms over your head, then bring them back down to hips and toes in a fluid type manner and always hold or pump gently.
- Find a table or counter top that is around waist high. Now stand sideways with one of your hips facing the surface. Place one hand on the surface palm down and raise the other arm above your head in a C shape like a balarina. Slowly go up on your toes while bending towards your other arm. ( This is also good for reducing love handles, so you may want to make it part of your fat burning activity routines).
When you are finished stretching out your tight muscles and tendons you are ready to begin your fat reducing exercises or muscle building program safely. Be patient but persistent and you will reap great benefits, so don't try and do to much at once.
Apply these stretching routines before all your activities, including normal physical activity. You should be feeling more nimble and healthy especially if you've finally made the decision to include exercise or physical activity routines into your daily life. Quality exercise combined with a quality diet program will give you the best chance possible to get to the proper weight and fit look you've been seeking.
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Article courtesy of www.goarticles.com.