A flexible, beautiful body is not every girl's dream? Stretching and stretching are some of the most popular activities in fitness clubs, sports and dance sections. There are many studios specializing only in splits, and there are many stretching lessons on the Internet. It would seem that this issue has long been simple and clear. But people have many stereotypes about stretching. AnySports has collected the most popular misconceptions about stretching.
Stretching is very painful
There is a stretch for athletes, dancers, circus performers. And there is - for ordinary people, and this is called "health stretching". Professionals achieve "minus" splits and deep deflections through long and persistent training, sometimes on the verge of a nervous breakdown or tearing of tissues (muscles, ligaments). And first you need to understand what you want to achieve.
“Stretching is painful. Those who have the strength to endure - the results will be better. Over time, you get used to this pain and no longer pay attention to it. If a person is flexible, stretching is faster,”says Yekaterina Ignatova, circus performer, stretching and equilibrium trainer at the Na Batute fitness center.
In health-improving fitness, stretching is used in dosage, taking into account the physical capabilities of a person. Basically, these are light and almost painless exercises that should moderately increase flexibility, relax muscles, and strengthen the musculoskeletal system.
“Adequate stretching helps to achieve flexibility, freedom of movement. This is especially important for those who have a sedentary job. Stretching also minimizes the risk of muscle injury during training and guarantees progressive correction of posture,”says Zalina Tedeeva, master of sports in rhythmic gymnastics, prize-winner of the Russian Championship in rhythmic gymnastics, teacher of choreography at the Na Batute fitness center.
Stretching - For Young People Only
If you are not abandoned by the idea of learning how to do splits as an adult, find yourself a good trainer. And if you decide to do it yourself, watch the process carefully, do not allow severe pain, this is fraught with muscle tear.
Of course, in childhood and adolescence, joints are more mobile, muscles and ligaments are obedient. Flexibility deteriorates with age, especially without constant training. But even if you start practicing at the age of 35 - 40, you can not so much stretch as develop freedom of movement. Sometimes it also happens that an adult can be more flexible than his child.
Stretching correctly will help relieve back and lower back pain, improve your posture, and just be toned.
“The main goals of stretching are unhurried, smooth stretching and gradual strengthening of the muscles of the whole body. Muscle fibers become more elastic as they are better supplied with nutrients,”says Zalina Tedeeva.
Stretching promotes weight loss
Many girls stretch in hopes of losing weight! Yes, in theory, if active stretching is painful, or if you stretch in conjunction with strength training, your body gives an intense hormonal response to the exercise. The cells will release chemicals called neurotransmitters that affect the activity of the "fat depots". But you shouldn't place high hopes on stretching, especially if it is done in a gentle mode and not very often.
“Yes, the metabolism accelerates during stretching, but one cannot say that stretching alone can make you lose a lot of weight,” says Zalina Tedeeva.
Looking to shed a few extra pounds? Incorporate strength or aerobic exercise into your program and adjust your diet. And the fact that stretching improves blood circulation, saturates the tissues of the body and the brain with oxygen, contributing to an overall improvement in mood and clarity of thought - a fact!
Gender and anatomical features affect the ability to stretch
Flexibility is more associated with women: gymnasts, figure skaters, dancers confirm this. Most often, the structure of the hip joint allows women to perform movements with greater amplitude, including sitting on the splits. Their connective tissue is more elastic and stretchable than that of men. The structure of the muscle fibers also contributes to better stretching. But there are also exceptions.
A woman becomes more flexible during pregnancy due to an increase in the production of the hormone relaxin, which softens the connective tissue.
There are people who, due to their genetic characteristics, are not very flexible. It also cannot be ruled out that due to the structure of the joints, more often the hip, some will have a limited range of motion. Such people have poorly developed hip eversion. In particular, this prevents them from completely sitting on the transverse (straight) twine.
In general, the issue of anatomical flexibility is not entirely straightforward. Someone can bend well in the back, but have unstretched muscles and ligaments in the elbow or ankle joints. Stretching ability is also affected by muscle imbalance, muscle control (coordination), or immobilization (if your joints have been limited in movement for some time or not working at all).
The more you stretch, the better the effect
Don't trust those who promise you to stretch or twine you in record time! The rule "The more often the better" does not work here. More precisely, this: you need to stretch moderately, give the body time to recover. And for each person everything happens individually.
Of course, as with any physical activity, regularity is important when stretching. It is optimal to do stretching 2-3 times a week. Otherwise, overtrained muscles will block movement. Especially if you overdo it on every workout, resulting in micro-injuries.
How to stretch correctly?
Always warm up before stretching;
Perform all exercises slowly and smoothly;
Breathe calmly, concentrating on the stretching process;
Drink water - "nourished" muscles will give in to stretching better, and make sure that you have a moderate amount of salt in your diet - its excess prevents the development of joint mobility;
Try different types of exercises on the advice of a trainer - some may not suit you due to individual characteristics;
Do not try to stretch when tired - your body will be unruly, increasing the risk of injury.
In general, stretching is good for the body. During stretching, not only the physical condition of a person improves, but also his well-being. Listen to your body, stretch wisely, don't chase fleeting goals!
