Why You Need To Stretch Now … And How!

Think about all the stress we put on our bodies and all the work they do in a days time (i.e. good body stress- movement and exercise and bad body stress- static posture and improper positioning/ movements).

Our muscles need to elongate and crave mobility. They are screaming, “Please stretch me now!”

Did you know, about 85% of my clients who come to me with pain- we quickly discover it originated from muscle tightness! It’s crazy, right! A few daily stretches and rolls on the foam roller, relieves most of their pain and discomfort within a few weeks!  

We all forget about stretching or write it off because we ran out of time.  And instead, we usually use the last 5 minutes of our workout, on a cardio machine or performing an extra set of squats.  Which in the moment, SEEMS to be MORE important. But in all reality, they are not.  Those extra 5 -10 minutes are better used, to stretch out the areas we just worked.

Why you need to stretch

We all know that stretching keeps the muscles healthy and flexible, brings blood flow to the area and allows the joints to move freely… right?

Well STOP… and really think about that…

Think about what happens to your body when you sit most of the day.  Two of the areas that are affected greatly, are you hamstrings and hip flexors. They get tight and those muscle fibers shorten.  Then, after sitting for a period of time, you get up and decide to run around with your kids or you go to the gym to workout.  But now, those muscles are weak, congested and will not extend all the way, consequently damaging the muscle fibers.

This, you may not feel it right away, especially if you’re younger; but with time, you are more prone to muscle and fascia (sheath that surrounds the muscle belly) tenderness and pain, strain and injuries. You become stiff and blood flow decreases to that area. If you continue to NOT stretch, the joints in the hips and knees will also become affected and will not be able to move as freely. When the muscles are injured or compromised… they are not strong enough to protect and stabilize the joints, which then leads you to joint pain and other serious injuries.

The result:

This chain reaction, from simply not standing up and stretching for a few minutes throughout your day (especially if you’ve been sitting most of the day), can lead to a downward spiral of events that can cause discomfort and pain.  It can affect your sleeping, your movement, your ability to live life to its fullest.  And as you continue to get older, your body will have a harder time working through the tightness and can lead to a lot greater injuries and health issues.

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So stretch with me!

Do it any chance you can get! I know being a mom, your always crazy busy… but just do 1-2 stretches here and there, throughout your day. While that pot of water is boiling, while your kid is sitting on the toilet, while you’re helping them with their homework. Anytime, anywhere you can do some sort of stretching!

I stretch or roll out, on my foam roller, in the morning, throughout the day, right after my workout and in the evening.  I also throw in a few stretches, as I sing my kids songs goodnight while they are laying in their crib for a nap.  My evening stretch is either a quick 5 minutes, if I have a lot to do that night – or up to 45 minutes long, if I am feeling extra tight. Not bragging… my body just needs ALL that stretching… or I am stiff, achy, in pain, not happy and can’t sleep well. 

You can never stretch too much… well you can, but most people don’t and do not have hyperextension issues.  So there is a good chance you do not have to worry about that.

Let me help you make it a habit!

Let’s make a goal: I want you to stretch at least 1 time a day for 5-10 minutes for 2 weeks.  Then from there I want you to work towards doing it 2 times a day for 5-20 minutes.

When you start experiencing how GOOD it really DOES feel and the difference it has made in your body, you will want to do more! You will notice certain aches and pains will decrease, you’ll sleep better and your body will feel less uptight.

Plus, don’t forget to focus on deep breathing and muscle relaxation as you stretch and get plenty of water in too (to flush out all those extra toxins you will be releasing from your muscles) 😆

Stretching essentials

Stretch safe tips:

• Static stretching (holding a stretch- like in my video above) should NOT be used for a warmup.  This kind of stretching is meant for after a workout or after you warm up.

You want to consider warming up by using dynamic stretching or range of motion movements.  These are movements which require you to go through a range of motion like in my video here. You can perform a dynamic warmup or use a foam roller (like this here) before you stretch, run, walk or workout. Then leave your static stretching for after you are done!

Research on athletes has also shown that static stretching BEFORE activity, can actually decrease performance and speed.  So you athletes, save your static stretches for after your workout and make sure you choose dynamic, range of motion movements for before.

• Endeavor to stretch with symmetry. I’m sure you’ve noticed that one side of your body is tighter and stronger than the other?  Most people are asymmetric and tend to stretch their tight or injured side more than the other… only now leaving the opposite side tighter.  So just keep all your stretches even.  If you stretch your right quad then also stretch your left quad.

Do note, that if one side is extremely tight, you can hold a stretch on that side for longer. Just be aware of your improved flexibility as your right and left sides start to even out.

• Hold your static stretch for at least 30 seconds. After about 20 seconds is when the muscle fibers actually release and let go from their protective state called the stretch (myotatic) reflex.  So 30 seconds is a must to even make a difference in the muscle length. If you have time, then hold for longer (1-2 minutes)… it will help improve your flexibly faster.  Never bounce as your stretching, just take a deep full 360 breath and slowly lower into your stretch.

Keep up with your stretching too. Do it EVERYDAY!  Not just 2-3 times a week.

• Stretching should not be painful. You should feel tension, but not pain.  Back off until you do not feel pain, but just a good deep stretch in which you can breathe and talk through.

Here are a few stretches you can incorporate into your daily routine

• You don’t have to do ALL of these stretches in one sitting- but work through them during your week.
• If you don’t have a lot of time to stretch, target muscle groups you worked the most that day or the day before.
• Warm up on a foam roller or with a few range-of-motion movements first, so you get your body ready for deep stretching and prevent injuries. Then hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds to allow the muscle to fully relax and actually stretch. 

Stretches from the video above!

1. Straight leg hamstring stretch
2. Foot up hip flexor stretch (your foot doesn’t have to be on such a high chair 😉)- add in a torso rotation as well.
3. Standing quad stretch- tuck your hips under and keep your knees together. If you can’t grab your leg, use a strap, put your foot up on a chair or lay on the ground on your stomach with a strap around your ankle.
4. Upper back/shoulder/ arm pit stretch- keeps ribs pulled in, but press your chest to the floor
5. Lat stretch- same as above but rotate your hips to one side and then the other
6. Neck and chest opener- clasp hands together behind your back and pull down with your hands and shoulders, as you look up. (Such an important stretch for all the slouched and forward head posture we have now-a-days!)
7. Anterior deltoid stretch- clasp hands together behind your back and pull your arms up 
8. Straddle hamstring, hip and lat stretch- press chest to leg
9. Psoas stretch- lunge, tuck hips under, pull ribs in, reach up and over keeping your spine long. Hip flexor, low back and lats may feel the stretch as well if they are tight.
10. Lateral neck stretch- long spine, opposite hand behind back, lightly pull head to one side, then switch
11. SCM neck stretch- long spine, opposite hand behind back, place hands on chin and lightly pull neck back at an angle- stretching front/side of neck. (Such an important stretch for a slouched and forward head posture)
12. Medial deltoid, levator scapulae and upper trap stretch- pull arm bellow breast (or close too it), drop shoulder down and lean neck to opposite side. Lightly pull arm across chest.
13. Downward dog- just a good simple hamstring calf and upper body stretch 
14. Door straight arm stretch- put hand against door jam. Tuck ribs under and press chest forward through door. Don’t let the back arch or the ribs stick out
15. Door chest stretch: 3 angles. 90°, low and high.- whole forearm is against the wall. Pull your ribs in and press your chest through the door.
16. Trapezius, levator, rhomboids, deltoid… whatever muscles in upper back are tight- this stretch gets. Grab the inside of a door jam, turn your body 90°,  tuck your hips under and lean out to the opposite side.  Pull your ribs out to the side as much as you can, while still keeping your hips squared forward.
17. Two arm upper back stretch- grabbing the inside of a door jam and round your body into a C shape, as you pull away from the door. 

Make stretching apart of your daily life

When you do, you will feel so much better!  Remember, just start with 1-2 stretches here and there throughout the day and work your way up to more as you appreciate the benefits you will receive from it! Then work on the goal I set for you earlier in this post!  Stretch at least 1 time a day for 5-10 minutes for 2 weeks.  Then from there work towards doing it 2 times a day for 5-20 minutes.

…for more on conquering your morning with a peaceful stretch and a mental head start, check out my post here.

Also, check out a few of my stretching youtube video for some variety.