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Go For Strength Training
Strength Training is a better alternative to stretching, and the pro-athletes are now skipping the stretching part of the pre-workout routine and replacing it with a 3-stage dynamic workout:
- Start with a simple jog or swim to warm up.
- Progress towards dynamic stretching that moves your muscle and uses the full range of motion.
- Do relaxed 15-second short workout bursts to ease yourself towards your main workout.
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Just being flexible isn't providing us with the necessary level of fitness, and the role of stretching exercises prescribed at the gym is now being debated.
Being flexible isn't making us age better, or be injury-free and is not improving our sports performance in any activity which does not require a wide range of motion.
This is exemplified by the sit-and-reach test, in which you see how close you can come to touching your toes (or how far beyond them you can reach) while sitting on the floor with legs outstretched.
The best way to improve static flexibility is with static stretching, which involves pushing to the edge of your range of motion and holding a position for 20- 30 seconds.
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Five Ways To Improve Flexibility:
- Practice Yoga, Pilates, tai chi and stretching.
- Get good quality protein post your exercise routine, combining it with Vitamin C to aid recovery.
- Hold your stretches of a longer period, like 30 seconds if you can.
- Practice daily, as an increased range of motion reduces the risk of injury.
- Take a warm bath to relax your muscles.
- A little bit everyday is better than a big effort once in a while.
- It’s easy to overdo it. Make sure you don’t always stretch the same parts of your body.
- Stick to simple, evidence-based exercises. If you feel pain, discuss it with a doctor.
- Improved lower and upper-body strength. Practiced regularly, it’s comparable to resistance training and brisk walking.
- Boosts flexibility and strength of upper and lower-body.
- Improved balance and, according to some studies, reduced risk of falling by training proprioception (the ability to sense the position of one's body in space), muscle strength and flexibility.
- Improved aerobic conditioning for movements with appropriate speed and size.