Here’s exactly what it’s crucial that you know to get started.
When you stretch daily, your body adapts by lengthening muscle fibres and increasing tendon and ligament elasticity.
This happens gradually stretching once a week isn’t enough stimulus for change.
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Daily stretching also helps maintain good movement patterns.
Most people spend hours in fixed positions which shortens muscles and restricts mobility.
Daily stretching counteracts this, keeps joints mobile and muscles supple.
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Your muscles are stiff from sleep and it’s a perfect time to work on flexibility.
It’s a 10-minute routine that you’re free to fit into most mornings.
It doesn’t matter when you do it the important thing is consistency.
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Other Factors That Impact Your Flexibility
Hydration is incredibly important.
Muscles that are dehydrated are less flexible and more resistant to stretching.
Sleep also contributes significantly to flexibility muscles that are tired are tighter and less responsive to stretches.
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Exercise intensity impacts your flexibility progress.
While regular movement helps, you should avoid a full stretching routing after an intense workout.
Aim to do the full routine either earlier or later in the day on those days.
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Most people feel less stiffness in the morning and their muscles feel less tense throughout the entire day.
More importantly, you’ll develop better awareness of your body’s movement patterns.
Keys to Stretching Success
Consistency is more important than intensity.
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Regularly stretching gently will give you better results than going harder but only sporadically.
You should never force a stretch until it’s painful.
Discomfort is normal but actual pain is an indicator that you could be causing damage.
Improvements in your flexibility are slow they won’t happen overnight.
Be patient and persistent, much more important than absolutely perfect technique.
