How to apply flexibility exercises in a training programme

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Pilates Blog

Flexibility exercises help you to get ready for your fitness programme. They have a direct impact on the effectiveness of your workout. These flexibility exercises help to prepare you for your fitness activities and help your body to recover and cool down. In addition, staying loose and flexible can prevent you from injuring yourself during exercises.

When and how should you perform flexibility exercises?

Warm-up before you stretch

Do not stretch cold muscles. The best way in order to warm up before flexibility exercises is to do some aerobic activity at an effortless pace for five to 10 minutes. Blood is then channelled to the exercising muscles, the muscles come to be hydrated and fed, and then flexibility exercises can be performed on warm, correctly conditioned muscle.

Stretch those muscles

Flexibility exercises should be performed gradually and gently. Learn exercises which target all your major muscles in addition to tendons. You should be stretching until you can feel it but not to the point of being painful. Flexibility training should be performed for at least two-three days per week.

Focus and breathe

Concentrate on breathing efficiently to avoid tensing  up. Try not to move additional parts of your body while stretching. In addition, don’t bouncing the muscles being stretched. You should hold each stretch for 10 seconds and repeat each stretch between three and five times. As you get into an improved shape you can work up to maintaining your stretches for 30 seconds.

Cool down

Warming up readies your body for flexibility exercises. A cool-down period allows your body time to recover. Once you are cooled down in addition to breathing easily it’s a good time to perform more stretching exercises during this period because your muscles are still loose as well as warm.

What tools can you use for flexibility exercises?

Incorporate flexibility fitness training devices – such as therabands or a stability ball. These types of balls provide a low-tech, inexpensive way in order to improve flexibility. You can learn the best method of stretching by lying over the ball or sitting on a ball and then reaching forward to stretch out your hamstrings. Other classes you could try to improve flexibility are yoga, Pilates and tai chi.

Consult with your doctor if you are suffering from any health issues. Seek out instructions from an exercise specialist prior to starting a stretching routine. Once you learn the basics, flexibility exercises performed, along with aerobics and strength training, will provide a complete workout.

Activities which lengthen and stretch your muscles can help you prevent injuries, back pain as well as balance problems. A muscle that is well stretched more easily achieves its full range of motion. This enhances athletic performance and functional abilities, for example reaching, bending or stooping during day-to-day tasks. Stretching can also be a superb way to get you moving in the morning or a way for you to relax at the end of a long day at the office. Exercises such as yoga combine stretching with relaxation and also increase balance, which is a wonderful combination.

Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy

If you want to discover more about Pilates and yoga – which are the disciplines that demand a lot of flexibility – then you should really do our Pilates Instructor Course or, alternatively, our Yoga Instructor Course. For more information, please follow this link.

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