Flexibility and Strength: Spring Cleaning
It seems that every spring we meet a world full of potential and new beginnings. What was brown and brittle is now green and growing more each day. Nature becomes renewed and cleansed and it leads us to do the same. We spend this time of year cleaning our homes in preparation for the season ahead. Do you feel like your flexibility and strength needs ‘cleaning’?
Our bodies need the same springtime renewal each year; we feel the need to get outside and exercise, enjoying the fresh spring air. By exercising at least 30 minutes a day, having a regular stretching routine, sleeping well, eating a healthy diet, and managing stress, we can experience great improvements in flexibility and strength.
Start Stretching Today for Better Flexibility!
It is important to improve your flexibility and strength with daily stretching exercises. Note that you should not do anything which causes pain, but only work within a comfortable range. As you stretch, note that you can feel a sense of limitation build up. Focus on that feeling and continue to hold the stretch at a comfortable level for a brief time, 10-15 seconds to start. You can work your way up to longer periods of stretch to maximize your flexibility.
Research shows that stretching not only improves your flexibility, but your strength. But what is strength? It could be expressed as generating force with our muscles, bones, and joints. But what is force? Newton explained: force equals mass times acceleration. Our muscles express force by contracting, bringing the bones that the muscle is attached to closer together.
By stretching the muscle, we allow the muscle to return to a balanced neutral level that increases the range of motion of the muscle. This means a muscle at rest that is still tense cannot contract through a greater range than a muscle at rest which is relaxed and balanced. Stretching a muscle fights against the shortening and hardening effects that stress and chronic postural distortion have on the tissues. This allows you to experience a sense of renewal because your strength will aid you in your daily activities. It will even help you to get that spring cleaning done more efficiently and comfortably!
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