Firstly, stretching should be carried out because it improves the flexibility of muscles and joints prior to and after a workout. Ok so none of what I have said so far is a secret but you would be amazed how many people do not do it but were you aware that you should also continue this stretching at the end of a workout as the muscles are warm and more flexible.

Hold your stretching position for more than 60 seconds to increase flexibility, because although 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. Many people make the mistake of stretching and returning to their original position to quickly when the movement should be slow and measured. The way to do this is to maintain the position of a few seconds and then return because it is possible to either strain or pull muscles or joints if you return to the starting position too quickly.

As warm up exercises can be measured in terms of difficulty, it is always a good idea to commence with the easiest first and make sure all the muscle are stretched before moving on to any training.

For some people, even if they have strong bodies, they tend to neglect the neck when working out because 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. It is always a good idea to continue with this stretching at certain points in the fitness training workout particularly if a difficult exercise is about to be performed as it will help make the routine easier.

Workout only to your capabilities and not that of others so 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 and listen to your body. Remember there will be days when your body will perform better than others; this is quite normal and should be expected as even top sportsmen have good and bad days so why should you be any different.

Going to the gym every other day for fitness training is the best way as you can rest all your muscles at the same time and give them a chance to recover and grow before you return for another workout. Increasing your lung capacity, which means you won’t get out of breath so easily and heart improvement exercises like walking, running and rowing for instance are the best to start with and you will find weight machines much easier to use.

It is well known that music makes exercise easier as the beat is something you can follow and these days the tiny mp3 players can be attached without too much bother. Although you will need your headphones as not everyone will necessarily appreciate you taste in music. Apart from preventing injuries and increasing your limit, it is also said that stretching is good for a tired body and also for a stressed mind and spirit.

This entry was posted on Friday, July 25th, 2008 at 11:07 am and is filed under Fitness Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.