Stretching Tips

07 Sep 2020

Yoga-tta try these stretching tips! Here’s why and how you should stretch before and after the Moonlight Walk.

We always hear, “make sure you stretch!”, and “stretching is very important for you!”, but do you actually know why it is so imperative to stretch before and after exercise? Keep reading and we’ll tell you!

Benefits of stretching

While stretching may sometimes feel unnecessary and like a chore you don’t really want to do, it really provides you with some advantageous long-term benefits, including:

  1. Helping improve your performance and endurance in physical activities and everyday fitness
  2. Decreasing the risk of sustaining physical injuries
  3. Enabling your joints and muscles to move through their full range of motion and work most effectively
  4. Helping improve posture by loosening tight muscles
  5. Contributing to decreasing back pain and muscle soreness by relieving discomfort

 

Stetching Tips

Another big reason why people don’t stretch before and after working out is because they don’t know how to. We’re here to help! Here are some tips on how to stretch effectively and safely in preparation for the Moonlight Walk!

  1. Focus on stretching major muscle groups: do stretches that target your calves, thighs, hips, lower back, neck, and shoulders. You’ll especially want to stretch out those calves and hamstrings as we suspect they will be pretty tight after a long 10km walk!
  2. Don’t bounce: sit into your stretch and stretch in a smooth movement, gradually inching further down instead of bouncing. Bouncing can injure your muscles and result in the opposite effect of muscle tightness.
  3. Don’t aim for pain: stretching should NEVER be painful! You should only ever stretch to a point of slight discomfort or tightness, but not to a point where you are in pain.
  4. Lean into your stretch: make sure you breathe consistently and normally throughout your stretch and hold each stretch for around 30 seconds. Take a deep breath, lean into your stretch, and see if you can get lower or elongate your body.
  5. Keep going! Stretching can be inconvenient and time-consuming but stretching at least 2-3 times a week can really benefit you long-term.

This Moonlight Walk, grab a friend or a group and stretch together and ensure you get the most out of the night. You’ll thank yourself the next day!