Stretching - exercises for the development of flexibility

Fashionable word "stretching" today firmly settled in the lexicon of athletes. Without a specially selected set of stretching exercises, neither aerobics or shaping, nor strength training can do. There are also fitness programs in which stretching is given the main role - pilates, yoga for beginners, bodyflex.

Often a set of stretching exercises is present in exercise therapy for osteochondrosis, arthrosis, radiculitis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Classes involving stretching, allow you to keep the muscles more elastic, and the joints - healthy and mobile. By improving blood circulation and oxygen saturation of tissues, a fat layer is burned. Experts call stretching exercises the most comfortable way to lose weight and maintain a good sportive shape.

Similar activities can be conducted as part of a group, or at home. To do this, it is quite enough rubber mat and gymnastic ball of a suitable diameter.

Performing stretching exercises should be done regularly. It is better if the classes are daily, but in the absence of free time, you can limit yourself to three days a week. The duration of the classes is from 15 to 45 minutes. Here everything depends on the goals that you set for yourself.

Stretching for beginners

This complex does not aim at a significant correction of the figure. However, it allows you to remove fatigue, muscle tension, improve posture. Many exercises can be performed even at the desk or in a traffic jam.

The main rule - the lessons should in no case be accompanied by painful sensations. Each exercise begins with a deep breath. Any stretching is fixed in the final position for 30-40 seconds. Performing stretching exercises is best for soft, pleasant music.

The complex is designed in such a way as to involve all parts of the body, from the neck to the calves.

The first step is stretching the neck muscles . A wonderful exercise for those who have to spend a lot of time sitting at a table. Tilt your head to your shoulder, trying to reach it with your ear. At the same time, keep your back straight. The shoulders are lowered.
Repeat the slope in the opposite direction. Then gently tilt your head back, stretch your chin up. We shut our hands in the lock on the back of the head, lower our elbows down and stretch our chins to the chest. We finish the exercise with a smooth rotation of the head.

Next, we perform stretching exercises for the arms and shoulder girdle. We bend the left hand in the elbow and wind it around the head, helping ourselves with the right one. It is necessary to feel the stretching in the triceps area.

The second exercise allows to improve the mobility of the shoulder joints. Both hands are behind your back and fold, pressing your palms against each other. After that, try to reach the shoulder blades. Immediately I note that this trick can be performed from the first time by far not all, but in a few days you will do it easily and freely.

The following exercises are aimed at stretching the lateral muscles. We pin our fingers in the castle in front of us and turn our palms outward. We fix this position for 5 seconds, without forgetting to watch the breathing. Then very slowly we make a slope to the side, we stay at the end point for 30 seconds and return back. Repeat the exercise in a mirror image. If this movement seemed too complicated for you, the same thing can be done by raising one hand.

The second exercise is performed while standing. Raise your arms and, without turning the body, lean to the left. Stretch the whole body, pausing at the bottom of the slope. Slowly straighten up and repeat the same movements, but now to the right.

To stretch the muscles of the back, sit on a chair, closing your knees. Then grab them with your hands and gently bend down as low as possible. Ideally, you should touch your forehead with your knees. But this task is sometimes beyond the power of even young and slender. Therefore, do not be upset if you did not perform the exercise with the maximum amplitude the first time.

The muscles of the abdominal press can be stretched on the gym ball. It's enough just to lie on it with your back, resting on the floor with your hands to maintain balance. If this is not possible, try tilting back. You can fix the stretching by leaning your hands against the wall.

For the small gluteal muscles, the following exercise is best for you. Connect the legs together, slightly bend the knees. Tilt the body slightly forward to maintain balance. Bend one leg in the knee and put it on the thigh of the other. Unfold the foot with your toe to the floor.

Next comes the turn of the thigh muscles. The front surface is stretched by the simplest exercise. Standing, we bend the leg back and, holding it by hand, pull the foot up to the buttocks.

Stretch the large gluteal muscles and the posterior surface of the thighs will allow a normal slope. Join the legs together, bend as low as possible and clasp your knees with your hands.

Stretching the inner surface of the thigh is performed, lying down or sitting on the floor. The first exercise is called "boat". Sitting on the floor, spread your legs as wide as possible. Raise your hands above your head and clasp them in the lock. Lean forward as low as possible. If the exercise seems too complicated, just bend over, leaning on your elbows in front of you.

The second exercise is best performed in pairs, but if this is not possible, help yourself. Lying on your back, spread your legs as wide as possible, and hold this position for a while.

To top it off we stretch the calf muscles. To do this, stand upright, put one foot forward with support on the heel. Take the body forward and lean on your knee with both hands. Pull the sock toward you, while holding the slope.

As you can see, stretching exercises do not require any special physical training or special equipment for training. It is not at all necessary to carry out the whole complex at once. To cheer up during the working day, two or three exercises are enough.