Stiff, tight muscles are no fun, and as we get older, many of us find our flexibility waning. But there are easy ways to increase flexibility. Read on for simple ways to get started.
Move Often
Sitting in one position for several hours can cause significant muscle tightness, even if you’re just sitting on the couch watching TV. These effects can be especially pronounced in your hips and lower back. Use your phone’s alarm function to set movement reminders. This way, you can break up your day with small movement and stretching sessions to keep you limber. Take a walk, do some stretches, or stand for a while as you work instead of sitting. Regular positional changes can go a long way toward keeping you feeling limber.
Warm Up Your Muscles
Studies have shown that being warm helps your muscles to stretch and lengthen, making right after a hot shower or bath the perfect time to undertake a stretching session. Turn on a quick yoga video, or run through a series of full-body stretches you already know. This method maximizes the improved range of motion and flexibility that yoga and stretching provide your body.
Release Tightness
Using a foam roller can be a fantastic way to reduce tightness in your muscles. Foam rollers use the pressure of your body weight to provide deep-tissue massaging action and are easy to use at home. To ease back pain, lay down on the roller face up, with the roller behind the middle of your back between you and the floor. Bend your knees, with your feet on the floor providing support. Clasp your hands behind your head to support your neck. Use your body to roll the foam roller up and down your back, stimulating deep tissues and reducing tightness.
Know Your Body
Stretching can be amazing, but knowing your body’s limits is important to avoid injury. If you are unfamiliar with safe and effective stretching moves or yoga poses, taking a beginner’s class with a certified instructor can be a great way to safely begin a new flexibility routine. And remember to always listen to your body and never push it past its limits. You must learn to recognize the boundaries between a good, healthy stretch and an injury-causing overstrain.
The benefits of incorporating flexibility-boosting activities into your routine are many, and getting started is easy with this guide. So, get moving today. Your body will thank you.
*Photo by Carl Barcelo on Unsplash