Few of us move our bodies as often as we should. Those of us who do usually just jump into a workout, finish it up, and then get on with the day. Little consideration is given to a warm-up or cool-down. And even less thought is given to stretching.
We are a nation of knotted up bodies, wound tight to the point of snapping. Our sedentary lifestyles are exacerbating tension and motion restrictions like never before. And when we do move it’s usually in the same repetitive patterns that continue to reinforce muscle imbalances and bio-mechanical shortcomings.
Take the time to stretch and lengthen your muscles. Think about the posture you are in most of the day, and put your body into the opposite position. Lay back over an exercise ball. Walk yourself into a corner with your arms outstretched to open up your chest and shoulders. Stretch as far overhead as you can to lengthen your spine and rib cage. A simple internet search will yield a ton of stretching routines that you can do at home.
Keeping your muscles and joints loose and limber not only increases your range of motion and helps to make daily tasks easier, but a simple 10 to 15 minutes per day can also go a long way toward injury prevention.
