Having flexibility can enhance your strength and conditioning program drastically. With greater flexibility you can achieve a fuller range of motion in certain lifts and movements to further challenge your muscles to develop for greater performance and appearance. You can also drastically reduce the risk of injury from a muscle being pulled or strained. Check out these 2 tips that you can use to ensure you get a greater stretch in your fitness program.
1. Statically Stretch After Showering: Yes, its true. You always get a better static stretch when the muscle is warm. Its much harder to get a full range static stretch of the muscle if it is cold. Always warm up to perform a static or holding stretch after a workout or after the muscle is warm. The greater blood flow within the muscle makes it more limber allowing it to expand a greater length.
2. Use A Rope Or Towel To Assist You: That's right, if you like the assistance of another person, but generally refrain from stretching because you don't have someone to help you then this is the perfect solution. Use either a rolled up towel or rope to help you stretch your shoulders and hamstrings by using the looped end of the towel or rope to pull you towards the ends of your extremities. For instance, if you sit on the ground in the hurdler stretch position throw the loop around the end of your foot and pull yourself down with the ends of the rope or towel to increase your range of motion. You will find this to be a great hamstring stretch. From here just get creative with coming up with different ways to stretch other areas of your body by targeting the joints.
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