As everyone knows, stretching is a great way to get ready to workout. It is also extremely important to properly stretch out your muscles before playing sports.
Stretching after working out is an effective way to cool down, release the tension your muscles have built up, and prevent the accumulation of lactic acid in your muscles.
However, stretching can seem boring, tedious, and sometimes just ineffective, if you don't know how to do it right. One way to spice up your journey to flexibility and full range of motion is through the use of exercise bands.
Traditional exercise bands are long tubes of thin rubber, with comfortable handles fitted to each end. They are convenient, easy to store, and can be used in an endless number of ways.
By creating a resistance level above the strength of your own body when you stretch, you will tone your muscles at the same time as you elongate them to their maximum. This will create a long, lean look that you will absolutely love.
While there are countless ways to use your bands, here are just a few that will help you to begin your own program. You can find band stretch suggestions in a number of places online, just like these.
The first will stretch those tight, pesky hamstrings. Begin by lying on the floor, flat on your back.
Loop the band around your right foot, grabbing onto the sides and pulling gently to create tension. Straighten your leg as much as you can, while keeping the left leg bent on the floor.
Gently pull your banded leg towards you, feeling the long pull in the back of your leg. Hold for fifteen to thirty seconds, and switch sides.
If you want to intensify this stretch, try straightening your left leg on the floor so both legs get the maximum pull. Be careful to not do this to the point of pain.
For the next one, lie on the floor and loop the band around the right foot, grabbing them in the right hand to create tension. Gently lower the right leg out to the side and towards the floor until you feel a stretch in the inner thigh.
The inner thigh often holds a lot of tension we may not realize. You may find that this will help to relieve back pain as you relax these areas.
Next, lie on the floor and loop the band around the right foot, grabbing them with the opposite hand, just as in your other stretches. Straighten the left leg out on the floor, and gently lower the right leg across the body and to the left, as low as you can go.
You will feel the burn in your hip and gluteus muscle. Hold this for fifteen to thirty seconds, and switch sides.
Once you have amply elongated your legs, you can start to move up the body and focus on the back. Sit on the floor with your legs extended, and loop the tube around both feet.
Cross them, and grab on to each side with both hands close to the feet. Gently curl the back, pushing it towards the back of the room and using the bands to create tension and add to the stretch.
If you keep the abs contracted, you will engage your core muscles. The more you engage your core throughout the day, the better your balance will become.
Moving up the body even further, it's time to work your chest. In a cross-legged or seated position, grip the band with a wide grip up over the head.
Gently pull the arms out and down as low as you can to elongate the chest. If you have shoulder problems, you may want to skip this exercise.
While you are in this seated position, we will do our last one. Hold onto one side of the tube with the left hand, and reach the arm towards the right.
Grab onto the other end with the right hand and gently pull, creating tension and stretching the left side of the waist. Hold for fifteen to thirty seconds, and repeat on the other side.
Using these simple, inexpensive tubes can help you to find the flexibility, center, and core strength your body needs. Go online and find lots of more things to try today!
Author Resource:-
Tommy Green is a personal trainer and author of numerous articles relating to physical training and home exercise equipment. He has been helping others find a greater fitness level since the 80's.
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