Do you want to be more flexible? That's how you start!
If the concept of touching your toes feels impractical, you may be amazed that you can improve your flexibility. Being flexible and having a good range of motion are important aspects of fitness that are frequently overlooked.
A few times a week of focused effort, from breath work to stretching to strengthening, may make a major impact on how flexible you feel.
Flexibility may appear to be something you are either born with or not. If you go into any yoga class, you'll see two groups of people: those who can effortlessly bend, twist, and touch their toes, and those who rely heavily on straps, blocks, and bowed knees to get into each posture and position.
Don't give up if you're a member of the less-than-flexible group. While some people are naturally more flexible than others, it is possible to improve your flexibility even if you have never touched your toes. Learn how to increase your flexibility from the following methods.
What is Flexibility?
Flexibility refers to the ability of your joints and muscles to move freely and without discomfort.
Barrett says:
“When you zoom out and see the big picture, flexibility makes for a larger comfort zone, so you can move around the world with greater ease.”
Why Does Full Body Flexibility matter?
Flexibility and stretch are important factors for everyday life.
Flexibility is also required for the release of muscular tension and discomfort, as well as for the promotion of relaxation. It's difficult to relax when your body is always aching!
Stretch training can also boost cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, and endurance by letting muscles to move through their complete range of movement for best benefit.
Key methods to improve full body flexibility:
1. Body Demands Attention:
The first step in increasing your full body flexibility is to notice which parts of your body move smoothly and which don't.
Barrett says:
“Lots of people are so disconnected from their bodies that they don’t realise their own lack of flexibility.”
2. Strength and Stretch:
Most people think of stretching as a way to increase flexibility, but strength and flexibility both play an equal role when it comes to increasing mobility.
Barrett says:
“Flexibility and strength need to be symmetrical to each other.”
3. Spend a few minutes stretching every day:
The best part about flexibility training is that you don't have to spend hours on it to see results; you just have to use the time you have and make it work for you.
4. Maintain Good Posture:
Improving your posture is one of the best methods to increase your flexibility.
Best Stretching and Full Body Flexibility Exercises:
Although stretching may not be the most enjoyable aspect of working out, it is just as necessary for a very good workout program as strength and cardio activity. The following are the best stretching and full body flexible exercises.
1. Downward-Facing Dog:
This is one of the most well-known Yoga postures, and it's great for strengthening your upper legs and shoulder muscles. It directly targets the hamstrings, glutes, deltoids, triceps, and quadriceps, with regular practice improving your shoulder range of motion and allowing you to move your legs more freely.
How to do it:
Place your hands beneath your wrists and your knees under your hips on all fours.
Tuck your toes under and elevate your knees, keeping your heels high.
Extend your spine and raise your sitting bones to the ceiling.
Bend your knees slightly and press onto all regions of your hands.
Bring your head in line with your upper arms, or relax your neck and bury your chin into your chest.
Concentrate on stretching and strengthening your body.
Hold this stance for up to a minute at a time.
Perform the stance three to five times after a short rest or in between other poses.
2. Triangle Pose:
This exercise will improve the flexibility and range of motion of your glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, and internal obliques. This implies you'll feel more flexible in and around your upper legs.
How to do it:
Bring your feet apart so that they are wider than your hips, with your right toes turned to the right and your left toes turned slightly to the right.
Raise your arms so that they are parallel to the floor and your palms are facing down.
Reach down and touch your right leg with your right hand, twisted at the hip.
Extend your left arm up toward the ceiling, palm away from your body.
Maintain this position for 30 seconds.
Do the same thing on the other side.
3. Four Figure Stretch :
This passive stretching exercise targets the hip rotator and flexor muscles, making it excellent for relieving sciatica symptoms as well as knee discomfort.
How to do it:
Lie down on your back with your feet flat on the floor.
Cross your left foot over your right quadriceps muscle.
Raise your right leg off the ground. Take hold of the back of your right leg and draw it toward your chest.
Hold where you feel a comfortable stretch.
Hold for 30 seconds to two minutes.
Repeat on the other side.
4. Spinal Twist at the Knees:
This exercise is wonderful for increasing mobility in your core and trunk, as well as boosting flexibility and range of motion in your abs, back muscles, and trapezius muscles.
How to do it:
Lie on your back and raise your legs up to your chest.
Stretch your arms out to the side, palms down.
Drop your legs to the left slowly, keeping your knees together.
Feel free to place a cushion between or beneath your knees.
Relax by taking long breaths.
Maintain the posture for three to five minutes.
Perform on the other side.
5. Butterfly Stretch:
This sitting stretch targets your hip, glutes, back, and thigh muscles, increasing your range of motion and flexibility in these areas if done regularly.
How to do it:
Sit up straight on the floor, with your feet together and your knees pointing out to the sides.
Hold onto your ankles or feet, engage your abs, and gently drop your body as far as you can toward your feet while forcing your knees into the floor.
Simply press your knees down if you're having trouble bending over.
Hold this stretch for 30 to 2 minutes.
6. Extended Puppy:
The extended puppy works on the glutes, back muscles, and shoulders, allowing for
more freedom of movement in these areas when practised on a daily basis.
How to do it:
Start on all fours.
Walk your arms forward a few inches and curl your toes beneath you.
Raise your hips halfway up and back toward your heels.
Reach forward, keeping your arms straight and engaged.
Maintain the position for 30 seconds to two minutes.
Massage Ball:
Everyone enjoys a nice massage after a workout, but I understand that not everyone can afford it on a regular basis. That's where a massage ball may help. Massage is also a good exercise recovery therapy, whether you use a massage ball for back or a self massage before you go to the gym on a regular basis. I'm going to show you how to utilise your massage ball set to receive the treatment for your tired, achy body has been seeking.
What is the best way to utilise a massage ball?
Feet:
The first step is to place the massage ball beneath the arch of your foot on the floor.
You will work on your tendons and fascia by rolling the massage ball underfoot and adjusting the amount of body weight you apply to it.
Calves:
Roll up your jeans, and roll the ball directly up from your Achilles tendon and along your calves.
Work on both the inner and outside of your calf muscles. Make sure to rub the massage ball into the back of your knee as well, since this is a common sore spot for many individuals, particularly ladies who wear heels.
Allow your foot to flex and point in various directions while doing this. You'll notice that this affects the muscles that go all the way up your leg. You want to rub them from every aspect possible.
Glutes:
Continue to move the massage ball towards your glutes.
Deeply massage the massage ball into the area to release the tension, most of which is caused by sitting. Simply do what seems good.
Neck:
Continue to move the ball all the way through to your neck, and apply gentle pressure as required.
I'm sure this will make you scream the most. We store a lot of tension in our necks.
Place the massage ball between your neck and a wall for additional control. You will be able to massage your neck while standing as a result of this. You may also do this for your back.
Arms:
After you've finished with your back, use the massage ball to massage the length of your arms.
Work it all the way up through your forearms and into your biceps, starting with your palms.
You'll be amazed at how much tension has built up in your arms, but it makes sense: after all, you use them all day.
The Appropriate Tool for the Fit Job:
Finally, the massage ball lacrosse provides you with the perfect instrument to address particular muscular discomfort that you may be suffering.
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