My intention today was to share with you the benefits of exercise on your sexual health. Sorry to disappoint, but that will now have to wait until next week because I found this topic to be much more pressing. I was approached by three people this last week, all of which wanted to know why stretching is such a big deal. Most of us understand the importance of exercise because we see the results. A hardy cardio and strength training routine keeps us fit and happy. The benefits of exercise are numerous and well-known including:
Better circulation
Greater endurance
Weight loss
Reduced risk of diseases
Increased wellbeing and mental clarity
Less well-known are the benefits of stretching. A lot of us play down stretching in our work out regimen because we either don’t have time or find it boring. It comes down to the fact that we just don’t realize how crucial it is.
In fact, a focus on flexibility training will help improve your other fitness pillars, strength training and cardio. When a muscle is stretched, the muscle fibers increase in length. The longer they are, the higher capacity they have to increase in size. For this reason, flexibility directly affects strength. Stretching relieves soreness and muscle tension, which allows for a more intense cardio workout. Higher levels of flexibility also decrease your risk of injury and certain conditions such as arthritis and heart disease. Flexibility training will also reduce your risk of injuries.
The next time you go straight from a warm up to a run, think twice and throw in some stretching. Otherwise, you may be doing more damage than you realize.
My intention today was to share with you the benefits of exercise on your sexual health. Sorry to disappoint, but that will now have to wait until next week because I found this topic to be much more pressing. I was approached by three people this last week, all of which wanted to know why stretching is such a big deal. Most of us understand the importance of exercise because we see the results. A hardy cardio and strength training routine keeps us fit and happy. The benefits of exercise are numerous and well-known including:
Less well-known are the benefits of stretching. A lot of us play down stretching in our work out regimen because we either don’t have time or find it boring. It comes down to the fact that we just don’t realize how crucial it is.
In fact, a focus on flexibility training will help improve your other fitness pillars, strength training and cardio. When a muscle is stretched, the muscle fibers increase in length. The longer they are, the higher capacity they have to increase in size. For this reason, flexibility directly affects strength. Stretching relieves soreness and muscle tension, which allows for a more intense cardio workout. Higher levels of flexibility also decrease your risk of injury and certain conditions such as arthritis and heart disease. Flexibility training will also reduce your risk of injuries.
The next time you go straight from a warm up to a run, think twice and throw in some stretching. Otherwise, you may be doing more damage than you realize.