Most people, when they say stretching, mean exercises for splits. But, in fact, all the muscles of our body require proper stretching: back, arms, buttocks. Let's talk about why our body needs stretching, how to properly perform it.
What is stretching for?
Many fitness enthusiasts ignore this type of workout, not understanding why it is needed. If running and strength exercises, in the understanding of most people, serve to form a beautiful toned body, then the meaning of stretching remains incomprehensible to them. However, we need it both after a hard workout and in everyday life. Why is stretching so beneficial?
- Good stretching helps to avoid damage to muscles and ligaments.
- The range of motion increases.
- Well developed muscles, perform more work, get tired less.
In addition, proper stretching, like fitness, helps to form a beautiful proportional figure.
Thanks to high-quality stretching, posture is leveled, excess fat is removed from problematic female areas: hips, abdomen, waist.
How to do stretching
In order to properly stretch, you need to follow a few simple rules:
- You can start stretching the muscles only after a preliminary warm-up.
- To do stretching at home, it is recommended to choose those exercises that you can do correctly without the help of an instructor. Do not choose too difficult poses. There will be no result from this.
- For an effective workout in each position, you need to linger from 30 seconds to two minutes. Beginners begin to stretch their muscles with a minimum delay of half a minute, gradually increasing it.
- Avoid sudden movements. This leads to injuries and torn ligaments.
- The whole complex of exercises is performed in the direction from above: neck, shoulders, back, legs.
Stretching time will depend on the type of workout. If you decide to conduct a full-fledged stretching lesson, be prepared to spend up to an hour and a half on it. When we talk about stretching as the final stage of a different kind of training, it will take about 20 minutes.
Stretching exercise "Twist"
If you do not have time for a full workout, then choose two exercises to work out each muscle group. Thus, it will take about 20 minutes, and the body will not have time to forget the previously acquired skills.
When not to stretch
Types of leg stretching
The secret to good stretching is the right combination of exercises and their regular performance. It is best if you attend full-fledged stretching classes 1 - 2 times a week. Soft stretching is quite suitable for homework.
How to prepare mentally
How to psychologically tune in to a good workout? You must understand that the result obtained from classes depends entirely on the efforts made. Before starting, try not to think about what worries you. Leave all worries and problems behind the doors of the sports class. Take this time to shine only on yourself and your body. It is very important to concentrate on what you will be doing.
If you train at home, think carefully about the set of exercises to be performed. First, mentally repeat each movement, and only then proceed to the implementation.
Remember that we are all different. Someone is endowed with good natural flexibility, and someone is not. Therefore, someone stretches faster, and someone much slower. The main thing is not to stop and go to your goal.
Set yourself up for regular workouts. Think about the result you want to achieve: develop natural flexibility, improve body functionality, etc. Visualization will stimulate you and will not allow you to miss classes.
How to prepare physically
In order to physically prepare for a muscle stretching workout, you need to consider the following points:
- Pick the right clothes. It is very important. In an uncomfortable, restricting form, it will not be possible to perform all the exercises technically correctly. The discomfort caused by such clothing will distract from training. Therefore, pay attention to tight-fitting trousers and tops made of modern sports materials. They wear well, look beautiful, and do not cause any negative sensations during training. As for shoes, traditionally stretching is performed barefoot, or in special socks for yoga or Pilates.
They can be purchased on any thematic site:
- Don't forget to warm up. This is a must before stretching. To avoid injury, the muscles must be well warmed up. For a warm-up, running, jumping, burpees, air squats and other active exercises are suitable.
- For home or independent training in the gym, it is important to choose the right set of exercises. Choose only those options that you can do correctly. It is enough to choose 3-4 exercises for each muscle group.
- If stretching your muscles is the final stage of your strength training, then more attention should be paid to those muscle groups that most actively participated in the training process. And those groups that were not involved should not be touched. They may not be warm enough for stretching and may be easily injured.
The body of a modern person needs proper training. The back, shoulder girdle, muscles of the body and legs, in the daily life of the average city dweller, move little and most of the time are in a constrained position. Regular stretching will help return the ease and joy of movement to your everyday life.
Went to a stretching class to learn how to become flexible and keep joints healthy.
A small cozy hall for choreography classes is located in the old building of the Gorizont factory. The group before the lesson looks very optimistic: the girls calmly communicate and laugh. But after a few minutes, severe pain awaits them - which, in fact, they themselves signed up for. Why do people voluntarily and happily go to torment, their coach and choreographer explained to us Alexandra Oshurko.
What are the benefits of stretching exercises?
The first plus is healthy joints. They become more mobile, and this improves overall well-being. Stretching exercises will help you recover from bruises or heavy loads.
Another reason to start developing flexibility is to align and lengthen your spine. A healthy spine will provide a beautiful posture. Elastic ligaments, blood flow to the body will keep the body youthful, saturate the body with oxygen.
If you have hard work, constant stress, then stretching is shown to you. Relaxation will lead to harmony with your inner self and help you calm down.
Another indisputable plus, especially for women, is that stretching improves and speeds up metabolism. Stretching will help you lose weight better than any diet.
- Is it possible for everyone to do stretching or are there contraindications?
In general, there is no such category of people who cannot be stretched. Only if you have received a serious injury, you should not stretch the damaged ligament for some time, but after a while you will need to start restoring its elasticity. And it can be very painful, but otherwise you will completely lose flexibility and it will be even worse later.
Everyone can stretch, regardless of age and gender. In childhood, the ligaments are very soft and elastic, the joints are easier to twist. Accordingly, it is much easier for a child to sit in a twine. With age, the ligaments become coarser. But, of course, this is also all individually. There are such elastic ligaments from childhood that, as an adult, a person quickly achieves results. And vice versa: even a 10-year-old child can be completely inflexible. But I can say for sure that at any age you can increase your flexibility many times over, and this does not depend on the data, but on the desire and diligence of a person.
- Stretching is needed only after strength and cardio loads, or can it be used as an independent set of exercises?
A good stretch is a must for athletes, dancers, those who work out in the gym and run, but it will never be superfluous for people who do nothing. Stretching has only one plus. We all strive to look younger, not age and feel great. And all this gives stretching. Why spend money on expensive vitamins, creams, when you can devote a little time to exercise and get almost the same result?
- How not to overdo it with stretching, so as not to harm the body?
The feeling of pain in the ligaments the next morning after stretching is practically guaranteed. This is an indicator of effective training. When you “stretch”, your ligaments stretch, lengthen, micro tears appear in your muscles. Thanks to this, flexibility is achieved.
Therefore, you need to stretch only 3-4 times a week so that the ligaments have time to recover. The next morning after class, you can take a bath, do exercises. But don't stretch too hard! Ligaments need rest.
- How to cope with pain during exercise, how can it be easier to transfer?
Try to think about what relaxes you, switch your attention to pleasant memories. Imagine how you are basking on the beach, how the sea beckons you, remember the pleasant moments when you were relaxing. Then enduring pain is much easier than if you think only that you can no longer endure. Stretching is like running: the more you do, the longer the workout you can endure over time. The more you endure, the sooner you will learn to endure this pain. Perhaps then you will even like it. Train yourself. No other is given.
During the exercises, you need to carefully listen to your body, feel it, so as not to overdo it and not hurt yourself. Do not suddenly sit down or bend over when you are not warmed up. There was a feeling of acute pain in the ligaments, as if they were cutting with a knife, which means that you should not make an effort. Just lock on to that height. If you feel dizzy, your leg begins to shake violently, or something “clicks” in it, stop stretching immediately. Take good care of yourself.
Stretching the body hurts, but these sensations are then replaced by joy, lightness and great well-being. Do not neglect this, and you will be in harmony with yourself.
̶ What must be taken into account during the exercise?
̶ ̶ Stretching ̶ is the relaxation of the muscles, and there is no way without breathing. This is the most important rule! You need to watch your breathing. As you exhale, your ligaments relax, stretch, and you sink lower. When you hold your breath and try to lower yourself, you injure them. Ligaments will hurt twice as much, and the results will be much worse.
̶ But what if you still damage the ligaments?
̶- The worst thing is rupture of ligaments. In this case, the recovery process is very long. If everything is serious, it is better to consult a doctor who will prescribe ointments, dressings, physiotherapy. In the case of a tear or sprain of the ligament, recovery is faster. I know a great way to recover from damage. This is a very hot bath. You dive into the water, lie down for about 20 minutes, your ligaments completely relax, warm up. After that, do exercises on the injured leg (very carefully!) and climb into the water again. And so about 3-4 approaches.
I know many gymnasts, acrobats and dancers who, after serious injuries, regained their splits in this way. But just do not try to do this the day after the injury. Give your ligaments time to recover.
- Is it necessary to do stretching with a trainer or can I do exercises at home?
Light complexes can be performed at home, more complex ones at the initial stages are better under the supervision of a trainer. If you don’t know how to stretch at all, and don’t feel your body, then you have a direct road to the group. After all, poor-quality exercise can not only upset you by waiting too long for at least some results, but also harm the body.
If you have already more or less developed flexibility and know what is done and how, then it is never superfluous to work out at home. Take at least 15 minutes a day: stretch your neck, back, do a couple of forward bends, and you will see what kind of energy your body will receive.
̶- Why do you practice exercises in pairs in the classroom, how are they effective?
̶- From classes in pairs, the result appears 2-3 times faster. When you "stretch" yourself, you do not give the maximum load on the ligaments, but the partner helps you with this. But you need to be very careful during classes with each other, tell your partner about whether you can still press or not. He does not feel what is going on inside you.
At first, you need to press minimally, and then gradually add your weight and at the end give the maximum load. And so that your partner does not tear the ligaments and get injured, you need to let him go slowly and smoothly.
- Do men need stretching?
̶- Men need stretching to avoid being bears. But there is one caveat: if a man wants to gain weight and swings hard, then during this period he should perform the lightest possible exercises. The whole result will disappear, and the muscles will stop growing, but, on the contrary, will begin to “deflate”. After all, one of the results of stretching exercises - an accelerated metabolism - helps to lose weight.
- Why do muscle pumps at the end of a set of exercises?
̶- Just stretching the muscles is half the battle. You need to learn how to use them, especially dancers. A pump at the end is needed in order to maintain the results of achieving the lesson, so that you can not only sit in the splits, but also keep your foot on the weight, do batmans, swings, and use your flexibility in every possible way.
Photo: website .
Corbis/Fotosa.ru
Being engaged in a fitness club on simulators, I regularly cross paths with a girl who, after each approach, does a whole set of stretching exercises. So viscous and languid, not to say erotic, that I would suspect her of wanting to attract the attention of men. If not for the young man who is always by her side.
Stretching and flexibility exercises
I also do not neglect stretching. But I’m always in such a hurry that I do only a couple of dynamic sips at the end of the lesson: a spring in lunges, spreading my arms to the sides, I open my chest ... Which of us stretches correctly? Here are professional answers to this and other important stretching questions:
1. Should stretching be part of every workout?
Undoubtedly, yes. Whether you run, swim, lift dumbbells or do yoga. “Stretching exercises improve blood flow in the muscles,” says Aleksey Ivanov, coordinator of the gym at the Art-Sport fitness club, a graduate of the Association of Fitness Professionals, CCM in powerlifting. “Due to this, they receive more nutrients and oxygen necessary to withstand physical exertion, and better give away decay products.”
2. What is the best way to stretch: dynamically or statically?
Say, in a slope, try to just bend down as low as possible and linger at the final point for half a minute, or is it better to spring several times, increasing the amplitude?
When choosing between static and dynamic stretching, first of all, focus on your level of training. “The first one is safer,” says Evgeny Golubev, TenPilates studio trainer. - It's great for beginners, for those who return to fitness after a break. You can stretch in motion when you have good control over your body, otherwise there is a risk of exceeding the amplitude and getting injured.
If you are an experienced athlete and your goal is to seriously increase flexibility, use both methods, alternate them within the same workout, moving from simple exercises to more complex ones.
3. Do you stretch before, after or during your workout?
Warming up helps prepare for the upcoming load. To increase the pulse, warm up, you can run for 10 minutes on the track, dance, walk in place, or just sit down a few times, and to improve muscle nutrition and develop joints, perform and stretch a little. The task of the hitch is to relieve tension from the muscles, remove decay products from them, calm down and recover. It is perfectly solved by a small set of stretching exercises. But how this scheme practically lines up depends on the type of training. If a lesson requires flexibility from you and promises to be calm (Pilates, yoga, choreography), then before it it is especially important to stretch yourself calmly, in statics, for 5-10 minutes. But stretching after class can be neglected.
With strength and cardio training, the situation is the opposite. Ten minutes of static stretching is required after class. But in front of him and in between strength exercises, you should not get involved in static stretching. If you overdo it, the muscles will become so elastic that it will be difficult to actively move and perform strength exercises.
“Take, for example, squats with a barbell,” explains Alexei Ivanov. - If before that you have well stretched the muscles of the back of the thigh, you can sit deeper. And if the front, it will be difficult to rise: a strongly stretched muscle is more difficult to contract. It is not easy to understand such subtleties. Therefore, make it a rule: before strength training, it is better to warm up, and not stretch. If you stretch, it is better in dynamics, doing 1-2 exercises (20-30 repetitions each) for each of the muscles involved in the training.
4. Need to reach through the pain or not?
“It is desirable to stretch until a soft sensation of stretching, but not pain,” explains Evgeny Golubev. “During static stretching, you need to take a position and hold it for 20 to 60 seconds.” If it becomes unpleasant, try to reduce the effort a little, but not the time: the body needs at least 30 seconds to adapt to the load. Don't let someone else pull you through the pain, "helping" you bend down lower, sit deeper in the half split: when it's not you who doses the load, the risk of injury is much higher. And only if your goal is to radically improve your flexibility, it is worth increasing the strength of the impact: staying at the peak point for up to 60 seconds, you can feel pain, but it should not be strong, tolerable for you.
5. Is Regular Stretching a Guarantee of Flexibility Development?
This is a guarantee that you will at least not lose it: without regular training, flexibility disappears very quickly. To develop it, you need to train daily, and preferably twice a day, say, for 15 minutes. But if you set certain goals for yourself - for example, sit on a splits or in a lotus position - you cannot do without the help of a professional. As the coach explained to me, in order to achieve what you want and not harm yourself, you need to understand well how your body works: which muscle to stretch, where its attachment points are, is it a flexor or extensor, what is the direction of its fibers (and you only need to stretch along them )...
Honestly, for me, all these things with “attachment points” and “anatomical functions” are simply cosmic. But the usual stretching, which is done at every workout, was also not so simple. I realized that I did a lot of things wrong: I spent too little time on stretching, stretched in motion when the muscles needed rest, and sometimes through pain. Well! Now I will take these mistakes into account. And I will try to stretch for at least 15 minutes after each workout. I hope that over time this will allow me, even if not to sit in the lotus position (which I have been dreaming of for a long time), but to easily and beautifully bend over to pick up a fallen pen from the floor or just perform another exercise in a fitness club.
By the way, I must warn my “neighbor” in the gym that stretching in between strength exercises should not be done ...
Flexibility and stretching ... Sometimes they add another new-fangled word to them - stretching. For many, all these words add up to one meaning - twine.
Meanwhile, flexibility, stretching and stretching are different concepts. Even though they overlap.
Let's figure it out...
Flexibility is the ability of the joints to make movements of the maximum possible amplitude for them. This quality depends on the strength and elasticity of the muscles adjacent to the joints and on the tension of the ligaments that control the mobility of the joints.
There are two forms of flexibility:
active- the maximum amplitude of movements during independent exercise due to the efforts of the muscles;
passive- the maximum amplitude of movements under the influence of external forces (work with a partner).
Flexibility can also be:
general- the ability of all joints and ligaments of the body as a whole to perform various exercises;
special- the ability to perform a number of actions by individual joints and ligaments, usually determined by a person's professional activity.
The term is often used in conversations. "stretching". It usually denotes the ability of someone to "sit on the splits." And when they say, “good stretch”, they mean exactly this difficult gymnastic exercise, and not flexibility in general. But the ability to “sit on the twine” does not yet speak of the person’s ability to go out, for example, into the “bridge”. The first skill will be considered an excellent stretch, the second inability - poor flexibility (the presence of a “twine” will not save the situation).
Term "stretching" comes from English stretching- stretch out, stretch out. That is, in fact, this is the same streamer, only wrapped in a beautiful cover for a good sale. They don’t write in the ads - “come to stretch”, but invite “to stretching classes”.
In addition, stretching is a term for classes to improve flexibility in general. Stretching, on the other hand, is a narrowly focused term that refers to working directly on achieving the twine.
Thus, stretching (or more beautifully stretching, stretching) is a method of achieving a certain degree of flexibility. And whether it is good or bad depends on the complex of exercises for achieving flexibility that you do.
“How to quickly sit on the splits”, “Splits in a month”, “Splits in 16 workouts” and even “Splits in a week” - the number of such queries in search engines per day goes off scale. It would seem that it’s easier, choose some stretching complex from those offered and go ahead.
Only forward for the majority does not work out very well, rather, the movement occurs gradually downward. It seems to stretch began, but there are no results. And now the fuse is no longer the same, and something aches somewhere in me, and there is no time for classes. And all why? Because why do something that does not bring a sense of pride in yourself beloved. And so that this feeling is not just there, but also does not pass, let's talk about exactly how it is necessary to stretch.
You can start stretching at any time in your life. It does not require a lot of space and an instructor constantly present nearby. But to achieve a visible result, you need to stretch correctly.
Most often, it is the wrong stretch that is practiced. Exercises are performed too abruptly, they quickly replace one another, while the correct position of the body for stretching is not tracked. As a result, muscle stretch is guaranteed. And to treat such injuries is a rather lengthy occupation.
Proper stretching is a long-term, slow matter, with control of your body, with tracking sensations in the stretched muscles. But it's worth it. Over time, the movements performed will become more familiar. The flexibility acquired at the same time will, undoubtedly, please you.
In order to get the maximum effect from the stretching exercises performed, several conditions must be met.
Let's call them:
"The Seven Golden Rules of Effective Stretching"
Rule One: Warm Up
Most stretching manuals talk about a good warm-up of the muscles before exercising. It is recommended that you first wave your arms, legs, jump, run - in short, do everything so that the blood in your veins runs more fun and intense. Stretching on the “cold”, experts say, leads to injury.
All this is so. But! If stretching is a pleasure and without excessive effort, then warming up is not necessary. Your muscles will tone already during work, the main thing is to practice without sudden movements, slowly, gradually increasing the range of motion.
Rule Two: Mastering the Exercises
Before you perform the required exercise, carefully read its description. Have you read? Now reread it again. Take a close look at the attached picture (if any). Compare description and picture. Believe the description. Pictures are usually not very good. Especially found in the back streets of the photocopier. Remember, the most common cause of unsuccessful stretching is improper exercise.
If you have just started to master the stretching complex, and are limited in time in its implementation, then do not rush to do everything that is required at once. Take the time to master the correct body position. It is very important. Muscles begin to stretch only in a strictly defined position. If this position is violated, then either you will get injured, or you will not stretch at all. It's a shame to waste time on the lack of results.
Rule Three: Start Stretching
When doing exercises, you need to clearly understand what you are doing. You must be aware of which muscles are at work. Excessive muscle tension will be an obstacle to effective stretching.
Stretching is a slow and calm matter. No jerks or wiggles. We enter any position evenly and gently. Exactly the same way we get out of it. Do not try to immediately go into a deep amplitude. Let the muscles get used to the load and relax.
Starting stretching, slowly take the required position, lock in it for 10-15 seconds.
Attention! No swaying of stretched muscles, only a clear fixation.
Relax, track how the stretch occurs. Do not rush to immediately reach the maximum amplitude. Find a position of the muscles in which the feeling of pain does not irritate you, does not make you convulsively count the seconds until the end of the exercise. There is pain, but it does not cause discomfort. You should have the feeling that you can be in this position for a very long time.
In order for the muscles to begin to stretch, they need to be completely relaxed. Tight muscles will not respond to stretching, and therefore the exercises will not be effective. It takes about 15-20 seconds for the muscles to relax, after which they slowly begin to stretch.
When talking about relaxation, it does not mean that the body becomes like jelly. Keep your muscles toned. If you work with your legs, keep your knees straight, the instep of the foot is pulled towards you. We make any slopes only with a straight back. Fold at the hips, trying to reach forward with the chest, not the head. Feel the tension in the muscles, if there is none, then the exercise is ineffective for you.
Muscle tension will gradually begin to recede. You are now ready to deepen the stretch. Having chosen the stretching limit that is completely acceptable for them, the muscles tense up again. You should constantly monitor your body, excess tension can lead to injury.
Concentration of attention.
When working on any muscle group, you should fully concentrate on stretching them. You should feel good about the muscles you want to stretch. Direct your attention inward. Relax the muscles you are working on. Feel how your body gradually gives in to the influence.
Gradually begin to increase the depth of movement. Only again softly, smoothly, without jerks. You don't set records. You stretch to your heart's content.
Feel how your muscles tighten again. Fix the position, relax, muscle tension should be noticeable, but tolerable. If you feel a growing pain, immediately reduce the amplitude of the stretch. You should also do if the muscles begin to tremble violently.
Fixing the position usually takes from 30 seconds to 3 minutes, depending on the exercise being performed.
Rule 4: Watch your breath
Your every movement should be superimposed on your breath. Breathing is the main assistant in stretching. It will relieve excess tension, soothe the pain, and allow you to reach a deeper position of the body.
Watch your every inhalation and exhalation. Inhale smoothly, slowly, allowing the lungs to fill completely. The exhalation should be free, do not hold your breath. The movement of the diaphragm is even and measured.
The calmer and longer the inhalations and exhalations, the easier it is to feel the slightest changes that occur during the stretch.
If the position of the body makes breathing difficult, then you have gone into such a stretch that does not allow you to relax your muscles. Rise up, let your breath be free. Then slowly deepen the stretch. If it doesn't work, lock in the control position. Gradually, your muscles will relax, and you will be able to reach a deeper level.
Rule Five: Score
While stretching, count the time for each exercise. This will help you to control the equivalent effect on the left and right muscle groups. This will also give you a better idea of how long you need to hold the position for optimal stretching.
Rule six: A little about pain
During stretching, pain acts as your reliable assistant. She will tell you when to reduce the stretch.
Every time you get too carried away with achieving a quick result, the muscles will be in an overstrained state. The reaction of the body to such a state will be a command to reduce the muscles. It does not depend on your desire or unwillingness. Just for self-defense against ruptures, the stretching muscle will contract and further exercise will be meaningless.
Increasing pain, a signal to stop stretching.
This means that your body is working at its limit and needs a break.
Controlled and gentle stretching does not cause reflex muscle contraction and does not cause pain.
A little about well-being: You had a good day today and you feel like you can move mountains. Tomorrow you are tired and you do not want anything. All of this will affect your practice. If deep stretching does not go, you should not force the body. Limit yourself to a lighter load on the muscles. The main thing is that you gave them a job. One that they can handle without getting you hurt.
Rule Seven: End Your Workout
At the end of the last exercise in the complex, do not rush to immediately jump up and do other things. Lie on the floor, completely relax. Mentally walk through all the muscles, track where there is excess tension. Feel the reaction of your body to the exercise. Congratulate yourself on your small accomplishments today. Imagine that tomorrow you can do more.
Now you can do your other daily activities. And the twine? - ask. What is twine? - I will answer. - It will definitely work.
If twine is your dream, and you decide to do it after 20, then you need to stretch every day. Do not believe that you can achieve results in 2 workouts per week. No matter how wonderful the stretching system is, but if your muscles are not distinguished by gutta-perchiability, they need daily training. The training time is from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on whether you have other more interesting things to do.
When planning and building training, the following factors should be considered:
In the morning, your flexibility will be below average, due to the fact that the muscles have not yet fully entered the mode of their work. The training will be difficult, but effective.
In the cold season and with unheated muscles, flexibility will also be reduced. However, in the summer or after a good warm-up, flexibility will increase significantly. Fatigue and "clogging" of the muscles also have a bad effect on active flexibility, and in this case, engaging the passive one will be more effective.
At each age, it takes a different time to achieve twine. At the age of 8-10 years, twine can be planted in 3-4 months. Then add a week each year. For example, for a 20-year-old person, twine is possible after about six months of classes. And this is provided that he does not have any special stretching abilities.
That's really what, really, you don't need to bother - a quick result! It is what it is. If you force things, the injury is inevitable. Focus on the process. Enjoy the stretch itself. Over time, you will find that you are doing well what previously seemed unattainable.
Remember, muscles are “live” at any age. Flexibility is a matter of regular practice over time. Even at the age of 40 and older, after daily training, flexibility increases, and the possession of a split becomes a very real thing. Flexibility will improve no matter your age, simply because it cannot stay the same with regular exercise.
Alanyt specially for Karate-club (master-karate.ru)
This is a set of exercises for stretching the muscles, which allows you to develop the flexibility of the joints, the elasticity of the tendons and ligaments. Classes are necessary for athletes and ordinary people who do not have special physical exertion, are carried out as part of the prevention of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Before training, you should learn about the types of stretching and how many times a week you need to stretch to achieve results.
The benefits of regular exercise
The main benefit of stretching is to improve coordination of movements, flexibility and plasticity of the body. The benefits of exercise include:
- reducing the likelihood of injury;
- improving the quality of movements, which is important for dance training and fitness;
- elimination of spinal and lumbar pain;
- normalization of blood circulation.
In addition, a great mood appears, it becomes easier to do everyday activities, choreography and various sports.
Types of stretching
There is a soft and deep type of stretching. In the first case, the muscles are stretched only to their characteristic length. The deep look involves stretching to an unusual length.
For beginners, it is better to start with static exercises.
Stretching types:
- Static- ideal for beginners. The meaning of the exercises is that there is muscle tension and their preservation in a stationary state for a while.
- Dynamic- similar to static stretching, but the muscles first tense up, and after a certain time they relax.
- Active- muscles that are in a passive state are stretched by the work of surrounding muscles.
- Isometric- the exercise is based on the principle of counteraction and is performed in four stages: tension and relaxation of the muscles, and then their stretching and fixation in a new state.
- Ballistic- ideal for people who do not have a good stretch, this type will not work. There are fast movements with a sharp increase in amplitude.
- proprioceptive neuromuscular- the main task is to restore joint mobility after injuries, diseases or operations. It is a physical therapy.
To answer the question of how many times a week you need to do stretching, you should consult with a specialist, especially when it comes to proprioceptive neuromuscular training. The doctor will determine the optimal number of sessions.
Contraindications for stretching
In every sport there are contraindications, stretching is no exception. They cannot be dealt with by people:
- With recent fractures- if you have a cast removed, this does not mean that you immediately need to run to training. The bones should recover, after which you can start stretching.
- With dislocations- you should wait until the ligaments return to normal.
- With problems of the cardiovascular system, joints and spine.
Expectant mothers also need to be careful about stretching. If there are no problems with the course of pregnancy, there are no other contraindications, then stretching will only benefit and help prepare for childbirth. Of course, exercises are performed under the close attention of the instructor.
It is recommended to attend workouts 2-4 times a week, devoting 30-50 minutes to classes. Stretching is not just a five-minute warm-up before the main power loads, but a full-fledged business that requires a sufficient amount of time, because this is the only way success is achieved.
How to practice
An intensive warm-up will help the muscles to give their best when performing complex elements.
Before training, warm up the muscles and prepare for the exercises. It is important to maintain even breathing. Do not reach through the pain, because this is fraught with injuries and dislocations. There may be only mild pain that does not cause discomfort. You need to stretch all the muscles and spend the same amount of time on them.
The dress code plays a big role. Choose tracksuits made from durable materials: polyester, nylon, elastane. It is better to work out in tight clothes that help spread heat throughout the body, which helps to eliminate extra pounds. At the same time, observe the sleep and nutrition regimen.
Any stretching session consists of a warm-up, special exercises for flexibility and stretching, muscle relaxation. The main thing is to train regularly, without gaps, consult with doctors about contraindications. Then the answer to the question of how many times a week you need to do stretching will not cause difficulties.
Stretching with Anix Dance school coaches
Anix Dance invites everyone to attend classes on. Professional instructors will help you improve your physical condition, recover from injuries, and adjust your weight. Training programs are designed in such a way that the necessary muscle groups are worked out, and the results are noticeable after a few sessions.
You can choose the training schedule that suits you. We provide the opportunity to work both in a group and individually. Group training will allow you to meet new interesting people and achieve your goals with them. Individual lessons are suitable for those who want to concentrate on stretching and perform exercises under the supervision of a teacher.
