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Stretching Is Essential | Zen Massage
Stretching Is Essential
Body Basics
Have you ever seen a cat get up and start moving without stretching?
If you’ve ever watched a cat you’ll have noticed each time they begin to move they stretch! They listen to their bodies! With busy daily life, we humans tend to ignore our most basic needs.
When we don’t stretch regularly, we overuse, fatigue, shorten and tighten our muscles and the connecting tissues. This leads to decreased circulation, reduced flexibility, and an increased risk of injury or disease.
Tune-in to what your body is trying to tell you! Notice that compelling feeling to stretch when you wake up? And again, at the end of the day when you’re tired? That is nature’s way of telling you that you need to move! Move more oxygen around your body . . . And yet a lot of us spend our days sitting at our desks barely moving.
Staying flexible as we get older is something we can all work towards. After all, loss of mobility is a slow process that creeps up on you. Many of us don’t recognize it’s happening until our bodies become imbalanced, compensation sets in, and we begin to suffer pain and discomfort.
NOW is the time to start helping your body perform as it was designed to so that it can continue to perform over time. After all, stretching is a workout in itself!
Daily Stretching Benefits
Stretching techniques can take as little as 10 minutes, but provide a multiple of benefits, including:
- Improved posture, circulation, and range of motion
- Accelerated recovery from injury
- Reduced muscle tension
- Relief from muscle soreness, strains, or spasms
- Improved athletic performance
- Enhanced ability to relax
- Balance promoted throughout the body
Proper Stretching Technique
It is essential to practice proper stretching techniques.
- Warm up first
- Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds
- Don’t bounce
- Focus on a pain-free stretch
- Relax and breathe freely
- Stretch both sides
- Stretch before and after activity
Here are a few good stretches to try:
- Low Back Stretches: Three quick and easy exercises to stretch the lower muscles of your back include the prone press up, the knees to chest, and the lumbar rotation stretch.
- Morning Stretches: Stretching in the morning is a great way to “waken” up your muscles, and get them ready for the day.
- Self-Assisted Neck Stretches: Stretches can be done with self-assistance to obtain a more efficient stretch. Here you can learn how to perform self-assisted stretches of the neck.
Be sure to check in with your physical therapist before starting any stretching program.
Stretching regularly can help your body and joints move more freely, allowing you to enjoy full functional mobility.
Add a Zen Massage
Stretching is wonderfully beneficial for your body, but add in a massage once or twice a month and your body will be thanking you well into your old age!
Book your Massage online @ ZenMassage.net