Top 10 tips and tricks you need to know when it comes to stretching

Welcome back lovelies, it is the last week of October, and we'll be discussing on a topic that will be crucial for your health benefit when you're exercising. Before fitness training, one must give importance to doing warm-up or stretching exercises to prevent accidents or enhance the output during the training. There are also several precautionary measures and tips to serve as guidelines when doing fitness exercises. Here are some of them.

1. How to increase your flexibility and to avoid injuries while working out? It is as simple as it gets. Always remember to stretch before and after your workout. Almost everyone knows that stretching before workout prevents injuries during the exercises, but only few people know that stretching after workout can increase flexibility when muscles are still warm.

2. Holding your stretching position for more than 60 seconds to increase flexibility. While holding your position for 20 seconds is enough for warm-ups, holding each position for at least 60 seconds will develop the body's flexibility.

3. Do not go into a stretching position then immediately return to the relaxed position, and do it repeatedly. This is more appropriately termed as bouncing while in a position. When stretching, hold that position for several seconds, and then slowly relax. You may do this exercise repeatedly this way. Bouncing or forcing yourself into a position during stretching can strain or damage some joints or muscles.

4. Work slowly in increments instead of immediately proceeding to do the most strenuous exercise or position.

5. Make sure that you have stretched or warmed up all muscle groups. Even if they have muscular bodies, some people tend to neglect the neck when working out of stretching. Stretching the neck muscles can be as simple as placing the palm of one's hand against the front of the head and pushing it. Then, do the same to the sides and the back of the head.

6. Stretch regularly to continually increase your range of movements and your level of flexibility and strength.

7. Workout considering only your capabilities and not of others. Do not force yourself to do exercises that you are not yet capable of just because there are people who can do it. Increase your limits slowly. Listen to your body. There are days when your body may be too tired that you may have to consider reducing your range of motion.

8. Learn to rest. Rest in between sets and stations to ensure that the body has enough time to recover its energy. Also, you shouldn't work for the same muscle groups consecutively for two days. The muscles grow during the period when you rest and not when you are working out.

9. Do aerobic exercises to strengthen your heart. Aerobic exercises are those physical activities that much oxygen for fuel. This includes cardiovascular exercises such as skipping rope, running or swimming.

10. Music may help you when you want to train for more extended periods or to increase your intensity. Just make sure that you bring your headset with you to avoid disturbing people who don't prefer music while exercising.

Apart from preventing injuries and increasing one's limit, it is also said that stretching is suitable for a tired body and also for a stressed mind and spirit. With that in mind, we hope you learnt something new today and we'll see you again next week! As a reward for being loyal luxers and sticking around with us every week, we'll be bringing back weekly blog posts starting from November, so stay tuned!