Sometimes finding half an hour in a day for a workout feels nearly impossible. I own a gym, and even I get that. But there’s one really easy, effective practice that every one has time for: Stretch Every day!
Let’s think about the amount of sitting the average person does. You might spend eight to 12 hours sitting a desk, you drive to and from work sitting down, then sit down for dinner, collapse on the couch to watch TV, and then finally you lay down to sleep.
People vastly underestimate the importance of stretching. We always struggle to get clients to stretch at the end of their sessions, let alone do it at home daily! Even New Image trainers are guilty of underdoing it in the stretching department, and have had the injuries to prove it.
The benefits of a basic daily flexibility routine include:
- Increased muscle length
- More mobility and flexibility (stretching helps you move better)
- Better body awareness. When was the last time you felt your left butt cheek being stretched
- Increased blood flow to muscles
- A focus on breathing. You may be finally meditating!
When should I stretch? Whenever you’re awake!
- In a warm shower (before or after bed) which will increase blood flow and assist you to move better (my slightly confronting demonstration here)
- Watching TV
- At your work desk
- Next to your car
- In a park
- In line at the coffee shop
- At the gym.
Some basic stretching routines
Here is a list of stretches and a demonstration on our YouTube channel on shower stretching. If you subscribe to our channel, you will see pretty much every exercise you have completed at New Image.
