Pilates For Flexibility: Stretches To Improve Your Range Of Motion
Unlocking suppleness can help daily motions—from bending down to tie your shoes to reaching for something on a high shelf—feel better. Moreover, it increases your muscular flexibility, thereby lowering your risk of accidents. Recall, though, that strength training cannot be replaced by flexibility. Improving mobility mostly depends on striking a mix of strength and flexibility.
1. Stretching your hamstrings
2. Stretch for your ankles
Ankles are not adequately designed (blame evolution). Since they are somewhat common sports injuries, it is crucial to maintain them active. But be careful with stretching your ankles, and always start with a low impact warm up before introducing any new stretches to your regimen. And see the doctor before continuing if you already have any sprain or soreness.
Essential for movement, the dorsiflexion of your ankle can be improved with this easy stretch. Stand a few feet away from a wall or other support, like a chair, and place one foot in front of you by about 12 inches. Slowly lean forward until you feel the stretch at the back of your lower thigh. Spend thirty seconds holding then change legs.
3. Calf Stretch
The calf muscle, commonly known as the gastrocnemius, crosses two joints and might be sensitive to tightness. Tight calves can cause pain and impair the ability to walk, run or conduct other movements.
The key to a good range of motion in your calves, says Maloney, is stretching. This minimises your risk of injury and prepares your muscles for exercise, she explains.
To stretch your calves, stand 12 inches from a wall and extend one leg behind you, keeping both feet flat on the floor and your back knee straight. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, then swap legs. You can increase the severity of this stretch by flexing your front knee to press your heel into the ground. You can also attempt a towel calf stretch by sitting on the floor with equal weight on each foot and wrapping a hand towel over the ball of your foot, gently pulling the towel to flex the arch of your foot.
4. Shoulder Stretch
Unlocking the suppleness of your shoulder will enable you to do daily chores more effortlessly. By enabling you to move faster and with less stiffness, it can also help you perform athletically.
Many times, improper movement patterns or musculoskeletal abnormalities cause shoulder pain. These problems can lead to impingement, a disorder in which Tavel says the muscles and tissues surrounding a joint get irritated.
Start this pendulum stretch to help reduce the discomfort. He advises, hold your right hand on something sturdy like a counter or table for support and let your left arm hang down at your side. Then softly swing your left arm in a circular motion, side to side, forward and backwards. ten times on both sides. This stretch helps the chest muscles causing rounded shoulders release.
5. Stretch for the Hip
Low back discomfort and knee issues can be caused in part by hip stiffness and limited hip range of motion. Targeting the groyne muscles, this stretch increases hip rotation.
Beginning from a chair or step stool, bend one leg at the knee—as much as you can comfortably. To feel the hip flexor stretch, cross the second leg over the bowed knee and draw your torso towards the crossed leg.
Any fitness programme should include stretching since it helps you either prevent future injuries or heal from one already present. Always make sure you stretch safely and painlessly. Before proceeding, see your doctor or physical therapist if you have discomfort or any worrisome symptoms. They can help you adjust exercises to fit your particular needs and find the correct level of challenge.
