Stretching Exercises to Increase Flexibility and Mobility - Pdf Slider
Doing regular stretching exercises will make you steadily more elastic, flexible, and mobile, and hinder you from getting physically rigid and stiff as you get older. Here are some principles for good stretching exercises:
- Take a thorough stretching session at least every second day. During this session, you should stretch out all parts of your body: Your arms, neck, torso, pelvic area, and legs.
- It is an old principle to stretch out after other types of training. This principle has been questioned in the last years. If you feel this is the best time to stretch out, then do so. If not, wait until you are less tired and do the stretching as a separate session.
- It is probably best for many to have a short stretching session after athletic training and a more extended stretching session at a separate time every second day.
When stretching out, you should bend or twist in the natural movement directions and movement angles for each body part, and for each part, you should flex in every natural direction.
- It is good to begin the stretching session with some active exercises with a moderate stretching effect to make your muscles and joints warm. You swing, bend, twist and roll back and forth with your arms, legs, shoulders, torso, and pelvic region so that every movement gives a moderate stretching effect.
- Then you do slow exercises with a stronger stretching effect. You swing, bend or twist each limb and your torso until you feel resistance and a little more so that you feel the stretch and then hold the stretch in 30-50 seconds. You can make this stretching even more effective by doing it together with a friend and helping each other. Repeat each stretch at least 3 times with a pause between.
- When beginning a slow stretch it is advisable first to empty your lungs for air, and then breath deeply in when you move into the stretched position. When holding the stretch you breathe effectively but in a calm manner. In this way, the exercise will also benefit your chest wall, lungs, and diaphragm.
You can find descriptions of many exact exercises in specific books or web pages. Classical hatha-yoga-exercises are a type of slow stretching exercise with a profound beneficial effect on the whole body. But you can also use your creativity and compose exercises that specifically fit you, as long as you use the principles listed above, and you can improvise during each session. Here are however some specific tips for exercises.
SOME TIPS FOR THE RAPID STRETCHING EXERCISES
- Stand straight. First swing your straight arms forward up over your head so that you feel it stretches well. Swing them back to point straight forward and then swing them straight out to each side so that you again feel it stretches. Repeat these swings 5-10 times without pause.
- Stand straight. Then bend your body forward while pointing your fingers towards your toes. Try to reach as long as possible downward with your hands so that you feel it stretches gently at the backside of your legs. Then rise again. Do this 5-10 times without pausing.
- Sit on the floor upon a carpet. Support your torso with your hands on the floor behind you. Flex your legs up and put the soles of your feet on the floor. Then swing down your legs to each side so that you feel it stretching gently at the inner sides of your thighs and then fold your legs together. Do this 10-15 times without pause.
- Stand on the floor. Then swing your right leg out to the side so that it stretches. Swing it back again and swing the left leg out to the side. Repeat this 5-10 times. You can make this exercise a little more advanced by bending towards the leg when it is swung out and reaching at your toes with your fingers.
- Stand straight and hold your hands folded upon your head while trying to have your elbows as long back as possible. Then bend your torso and neck down to the right and then back and to the left. Do it 5-10 times so that you feel a gentle stretch each time.
- Sit straight on a chair with your arms down at the side. Flex your torso and neck in a bow backward so that your belly protrudes forward. Then flex your torso and neck the other way forward, both times so you feel a gentle stretch. Try to get your head as near your lap as possible. Do this 5-10 times.
- Sit straight on a chair. Twist your torso and your neck to the right as far as possible, and then twist the other way, both times so you feel a gentle stretch in your neck and your torso. You can make the stretch more effective by holding your hands around your knees and pushing. Do it 10-15 times without pausing.
