A Good Workout Begins With Good Stretching Exercises

Before you start exercising or working out, there's this very important thing you need to do first – S T R E T C H. Also known as warming up, it's important to get your body to loosen up and get prepared for the workout ahead. This is to avoid injuring yourself as well as enhance your workout.

Mainly to avoid injuries, stretching exercises are important before and after a workout. Most people already know that warming up or stretching before a workout prevents injuries. But did you also know that stretching exercises after a workout when the muscles are still warm greatly increases your flexibility?

When you are warming up, all you need to do is to hold your stretching exercise for 20 seconds. It may not seem very long but it is good enough to get your body loosened up and ready to work out. During the warm-down however, try to hold the stretches for 60 seconds or more. This will help you develop more flexibility in your body.

Also, try not to go into a stretching position and then immediately return to the relaxed position. More appropriately termed as bouncing while in a position, it doesn't really help you stretch or warm up at all. The proper way to do this is to hold your position for several positions and then slowly relax. But bouncing or forcing yourself into a position during stretching can strain or damage your joints or muscles.

Remember that stretching exercises are similar to a regular workout program. Work slowly in increments instead of immediately proceeding to doing the hardest exercise or position. Also workout based on your capabilities and not of others. Do not force yourself to do exercises that you are not yet capable of just because there are people who can do it. The main idea here is to increase your limits slowly and to listen to your body. There might be days when your body may be too tired, so you will have to consider reducing your range of motion in order to avoid injuring yourself.

As for workout programs, it isn't a weakness to want to rest. Resting in between sets and stations is a good habit because it gives your body enough time to recover its energy. Also it is advisable that you don't work the same muscle groups consecutively for two days. The muscles grow during the period when you rest and not when you are working out.