All of us neglect the importance of body stretches. No matter how much it is stressed to do a stretch before or after a workout or even on a daily basis for improved health we tend to skip it.
What we fail to understand is that we can get aches and pains when our muscles get too still and rigid.
The root cause of everyday aches and pains is inflexibility. To loosen up you need to start stretching your body. You can start by doing it once a day and reduce or decrease based on how you want to maintain your motion gains.
Here are 4 stretches that will work on those sore spots in your body:
- Pain in the knees
Cause: Tight knees
Feel better stretch: Kneel down with your toes tucked, placing your weight on the balls of both feet. Slowly lower your upper body until you aresitting on your heels. Place your hands on the tops of your thighs and lean back. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds.
Supplementary exercise: Basic squats
- Lower back pain
Cause: Tight Hip flexors
Feel better stretch: Lie face down with your palms under your shoulders and slightly turned out. Slide your left leg up toward hips and bend your knee with your right leg staying extended with toes turned in. Push up until arms are straight. Keeping hips on floor with elbows close to sides, turn your head and upper body slightly to the left. Hold for 20 to 45 seconds; switch sides.
Supplementary exercise:Planks and standing leg raises
- Shoulder pain
Cause: Tight back
Feel better stretch: Kneel with your arms extended forward on top of a stability ball, palms in and thumbs facing the ceiling. Sit back toward heels, pushing chest toward the floor; keep your back flat. Hold for 30 seconds.Move ball to the left, stretching your right lat muscle; hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side, stretching your left lat muscle.
Supplementary exercise:Y-Presses
- Neck Pain
Cause: Tight stretch
Feel better stretch:Stand facing a wall with your right arm raised to shoulder height. Bring your forearm flush against the wall. Rotate your torso away from your right arm, stretching the front of your chest and right shoulder. Bend sideways at the hip away from the wall. Hold for 30 seconds and then switch sides.
Supplementary exercise:Simple chin tucks
Relax and soothe those tight and rigid muscles with the four simple stretches.
