Stretching for beginners for every day: 10 effective exercises

Flexibility, ease of movement, muscle elasticity, mobility and plasticity – all this can be achieved with the help of stretching. But before you start a set of exercises, you need to understand how to exercise correctly and, most importantly, safely. So first we recommend to familiarize yourself with all the nuances and only then spread the mat and put on the form.

fitness trainer, CMC in rhythmic gymnastics

“Let’s tell you everything a beginner needs to know about stretching.”

Satura rādītājs

What are the benefits of stretching?

On the vastness of the Internet a lot is written about how important and useful stretching is. It certainly has a positive effect on the physical and mental health of a person, but not everything that is attributed to it is true.

There have been numerous studies that have not supported the claim that stretching prevents/reduces the risk of injury. Furthermore, stretching itself can lead to injuries. For the most part, stretching is just a nice “meditation” for the body to enjoy. Absolutely everyone likes to stretch after sleeping or staying in one position for a long time, it is a natural desire of the body.

There are undeniable positive aspects of stretching: it preserves and improves muscle elasticity, which, in turn, affects the range of motion in the joints. Also with the help of stretching you can improve posture by working the back corset, and get rid of cramps, their number will decrease, and maybe they will disappear altogether. It is important to remember that it is necessary not only to stretch, but also to strengthen the muscle corset, to maintain balance.

Who can and who can not do stretching?

Stretching can be practiced at any age, as well as any other physical activity. The main thing is to proceed from the recommendations of doctors and body features.

It is also worth paying attention to contraindications. If a group of persons falls under one of the points – it is better to refrain. And do not forget about injuries – always recover to the end.

Contraindications:

hypermobility;
pregnancy (you need a doctor’s permission);
inflammatory processes of various etiologies;
injuries;
osteoarthritis;
diseases of the cardiovascular system;
acute pain.

What determines the result and the speed of its achievement?

We are all individual, and genetics plays a key role here. There are people who are prone to increased flexibility, they are also called “gutta-percha”. These are people with connective tissue dysplasia: increased flexibility and hypermobility of joints. On the contrary, stretching is contraindicated for such people, and physical activity should be moderate. But, as we know, they are the ones who are given to ballet and rhythmic gymnastics.

Another factor that affects the result is the program you practice, the regularity and the types of stretching you use. Small, sometimes imperceptible, results will gradually add up to big and visible results.

Tips for the beginner before you start exercising

Don’t overestimate your capabilities. Learn to listen to your body, to read the signals. Our body is very smart and if it seems to you that it’s time to stop – it doesn’t seem to you.
Not everything that is shown or given in class is good. When in doubt, ask the trainer why and why you are doing it.
No pain during class. The process should be comfortable for you and your nervous system. Pain is a danger signal.
Do not get distracted from yourself. The most important thing is to concentrate on your own body, sensations and movements.
No sudden and rash movements. Body control, smoothness and accuracy are the keys to a good workout without injury.
Forget about chasing results and your neighbor on the mat. It is worth remembering again that everyone is different, no matter how long it takes you to achieve results, with regular exercise it will definitely come.
From simple to complex. Abrupt loading will not lead to anything good, you need to prepare both muscles and nervous system for the load.
Breathe evenly and calmly. Stretching should not strain and stress you, but on the contrary, relax and calm you.
Do not train on a body that is too warmed up. Your nervous system will fail and will not be able to timely signal a dangerous amplitude, for which you are not ready.
Correct technique. This is the main and obvious rule. Violation can lead to injuries.

How to prepare for training?

Put on the most comfortable clothes that do not constrict movements, the seams should not dig into the body. Also choose a mat that will not be slippery. Then it will be possible to perform exercises freely, and you will not be distracted by unnecessary moments.

The room should be well ventilated, lack of oxygen, especially during physical activity, has a bad effect on the body.

10 exercises that can be performed by a beginner

Stretching the neck muscles: “Tilt the head to the side”.

Tehnika

Sitting or standing, slowly tilt your head to the side, trying to reach your right shoulder with your ear.
Place the same hand on the temple, reach down with the left shoulder and perform circular movements backwards.
Feel a stretch in the side of your neck.
Repeat on the other side.

Important: do not lift your shoulders up in an attempt to achieve a deeper stretch. Work at an amplitude that is comfortable for you.

Stretching neck muscles: “Head tilt back and forth”.

Tehnika

Stand with your back to the wall, feel the contact of the back of the head, shoulder blades and sacrum.
You can bend your legs at the knees and take a step forward from the wall.
As you inhale, begin to reach upward with your chin, stretching the front of your neck; as you exhale, pull your chin toward your rib cage, pulling the back of your head toward the ceiling.

Important: Shoulders relaxed, try not to pull the back of your head away from the wall.

Stretching arm and shoulder muscles

Tehnika

Sitting or standing, bring your right arm to the opposite side at chest level.
Bend the left arm at the elbow and bring the right arm around the elbow. Press lightly with your left hand to increase muscle stretching.
Repeat on the other side.

Important: watch the body so that it does not turn around after the arm stretched out to the side.

Stretching pectoral and arm muscles

Tehnika

Place your feet at pelvic width, slightly bent at the knees. Extend your arms in front of you, palms facing down.
As you inhale, turn your palms upwards and spread your arms apart, trying to push your chest forward and upwards.
Izelpojot atgriezieties sākuma pozīcijā.

Important: do not bend in the lower back. If you feel tension there, turn your pelvis towards yourself while spreading your arms apart.

Stretching the lateral muscles of the body

Tehnika

Stand on all fours, wrists under the shoulders, pelvis above the knees.
With the right hand step diagonally forward to the same side, with the left hand cover the right hand.
Push the pelvis to the left side and back toward the heels.
Feel a pleasant stretch on the left side of the body.
Repeat the same on the opposite side.

Important: the farther you reach forward with your arms, the more you feel the stretch.

Stretching the muscles of the body: “Cat-Cow”.

Tehnika

Stand on all fours, wrists under the shoulders, pelvis – above the knees.
On exhalation round your back, twisting the pelvis backwards, as if tucking the tail, head tends to the abdomen.
On the inhale, perform an even flexion. Imagine that your back wants to circle a large ball.
Alternate these positions.

Important: when bending, pay attention to your lower back, how comfortable it is, try not to overload it. The head should not be tilted forward or backwards, it is always an extension of the spinal column.

Stretching the back of the legs: “Forward bends”.

Tehnika

Stand up straight. Feet at the width of the pelvis, knees bent (the degree of bending of the knees is determined by yourself. The more bent – the less tension).
As you exhale, bend forward with a straight back, bending only in the hip joints. You will feel a slight tension on the back of your thighs.
As you exhale, return to the starting position. Perform the movement slowly.

Important: when bending forward, watch your lower back, it should not be rounded. Imagine that you have a stick along your spine, which limits your movement. As you bend downward, try to point your sciatic tubercles upward toward the ceiling. Your task is to distance the attachment points of the muscles from each other.

Stretching of the inner thigh: “Lateral lunges”.

Tehnika

Stand up straight, feet at pelvic width, feet and knees turned at an angle of 45 degrees.
As you inhale, slowly perform a side lunge, taking a wide step to the side.
Keep the pelvis back, knee bent but not beyond the toes.
As you exhale, smoothly return to the starting position.
Repeat on the opposite leg. With each repetition go lower and lower.

Important: watch the direction of movement of the knees, when going up they should not fall inward. Pay attention to the back: it is in a neutral position, in the lower back is not bent. The wider the position of the legs, the more you will feel the stretch.

Stretching the front surface of the thigh

Tehnika

Stand up straight, lean on one leg, bend the other in the knee joint.
Use your hands to pull the heel of the bent leg to the buttocks.
Repeat on the opposite side.

Important: for better tension, twist the pelvis backwards, the lumbar flattens in this position. Make sure that the knee looks exactly down. For those with poor balance, we recommend standing next to a support.

Stretching calf muscles

Tehnika

Stand in a split stance, putting one foot forward. The front leg is fully on the foot, put the back leg on the half toes. The weight is concentrated on the front leg.
As you exhale, bending the front leg at the knee, reach the heel of the back foot to the floor, leaving the weight on the front leg, as if stretching the mat between your legs.
You will feel a nice stretch in the calf muscle area of the back leg.

Important: the farther the back leg stands from the front leg, the greater the stretch will be. Pay attention to the movement of the heel so that it does not move away from the side. The back leg should remain straight. For those with poor balance, we recommend standing next to a support.

Now you know all the basics of stretching and can understand how to exercise in an environmentally friendly and effective way. Take care of your body and it will reciprocate.