There are five main elements to physical fitness: muscular strength, muscular endurance, body composition, cardiovascular/respiratory endurance and flexibility. Today I began thinking about the one category where the vast majority of people have a deficiency--flexibility--because of the way my legs screamed at me after I got up from a chair.
The "tightness" we experience is caused by many things - the lack of adequate stretching, inactivity, resistance training, prior injury, tension/stress, and more. I've started to pay more attention to this as I notice the deficiencies in my own fitness and try to adapt.
I figured a good way to learn more about stretching (the one area where we can make the biggest difference in improving flexibility) is to talk to all of you about some stretches I use and like. The one I chose for today is the calf stretch, because it is one from which so many of us can benefit, especially runners.
Rather than spend 300 words describing it to you, I am going to link you to an article that describes one of the many different ways to do this stretch, along with a video that demonstrates another technique. If you look around online, you'll find tons of other articles and videos to check out and learn from.
You'll notice in the video that the woman instructing the stretch mentions the gastrocnemius and the soleus, which are the two main muscles that comprise the calf/posterior portion of the lower leg. If you want to learn more about those, check this out.
If you run and don't pay a TON of attention to your flexibility, you likely have a pretty significant deficiency. The calves, hamstrings and hip flexors are typically the biggest problem areas that can cause major and minor injury alike. Well-timed and executed calf stretches are just one of many that can really help.
My advice on stretching? Just start doing SOMETHING. I know it's hard to work in a full routine before or after a workout and you have to be realistic when setting goals. But develop a quick, 5-minute regimen -- especially after you work out -- and you'll see improvement quickly and help alleviate soreness.
What are your favorite stretches? Any tips you can share?
Yoga!!! I'm a big believer that yoga is huge for helping flexibility. When I was training for the half marathon I would incorporate yoga into my routine and it was excellent! You can really see yourself becoming more flexible every time you do it.
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