What is body flexibility, how to develop, a set of gymnastic exercises. What is the difference between the body of an elderly and a young person. Before exercise

Exercises aimed at improving the flexibility of the body are called stretching or stretching. Many of them are present in medical rehabilitation programs aimed at restoring body mobility after suffering certain injuries. In addition, stretching is mandatory in professional sports. It helps prevent injury to ligaments, muscles, joints during active loads, improves the speed of recovery after intense training. Today, stretching has formed into a separate direction, which is becoming more and more popular, because it has enough advantages. They are often done by girls, whose main goal is the flexibility and plasticity of the body, since stretching copes with this with a bang. The fitness centers offer group lessons by stretching. But you can also perform and flexibility for beginners and at home. The main thing is to study all the features of such classes.

Stretching and flexibility exercises are useful for absolutely everyone: both ladies who want to become more plastic and graceful, as well as male athletes and just people who want to improve their health and learn how to better control their bodies. For exercise to bring maximum benefit and efficiency, pay attention to the following nuances:

Stretching is divided into two types: static and dynamic.. The essence of the first is that you will need to linger in a specific one position in order to create the maximum load on the target muscle groups. Dynamic stretching involves making sharp movements. For beginners, dynamic loading is not recommended, since with an unprepared body, it can provoke sprain and rupture of ligaments and tendons.
Stretching gives fast results. Having started to exercise, you will soon feel how your muscle strength has increased, your well-being has improved, as the body is actively saturated with oxygen. The figure will become more slender and graceful. And even the skin will be fresher. But, of course, do not expect that, doing the second time, you will be able to sit on the twine. Obviously, you will become more flexible somewhere after three months of classes.
You can not do stretching from a state of rest. Flexibility exercises are performed after active warming up of the muscles. You can jump rope, squat, swing your legs. And only when you feel that you are warm enough, start stretching.
Stretching exercises can be performed at any time of the day. However, experts believe that best time for this - the evening. Smooth and simple gymnastics will help you calm down and relax after a hard day.

During the session, you should feel only the tension of the muscles and ligaments, but in no case pain. Sharp severe pain indicates that something is damaged in the body. Do everything carefully and smoothly, listen to your body and give it time to get used to the loads. If you hear a crunch or click, feel muscle spasm, dizziness or severe pain, stop exercising.

An effective set of stretching and flexibility exercises

Do you want to improve flexibility, plasticity and grace, strengthen muscles and form a beautiful outline of the figure? Then pay attention to the following set of stretching and flexibility exercises.

Leg Flexibility Exercises

1. Leg swing

Mahi help to warm up the external and internal muscles thighs, buttocks, calves, hamstrings.

Stand up straight, put your feet shoulder-width apart. Lift one of them slightly forward, keeping your balance on the supporting foot. Then slowly and smoothly make pendulum movements with your foot to the right and left, watching your posture. With each turn, try to achieve the maximum range of motion of the joint. One swing should be performed for 30-60 seconds, alternate legs. You can apply the trajectory back and forth.

2. Side lunges

These flexibility and stretching exercises perfectly stretch the buttocks and inner part hips. You need to stand up straight, put your feet shoulder-width apart, place your hands on your waist. Take a deep step to the right, bending the knee and leaving left leg straight. For some time, transfer the weight of the body to the right leg, qualitatively stretching the muscles of the left thigh. Then return to the starting position and lunge to the other side.

3. High knee lifts

This stretch combines regular lunges with high knees. This combination helps to achieve excellent dynamic stretching of the calves, buttocks, hamstrings, hip flexors.

Hands need to be fixed above the head, make a deep lunge with the right foot forward. When you come out of it, bend your back leg and try to raise your knee to your chest as high as possible. Returning to the starting position, immediately go into a lunge with your left foot.

4. Cross Leg Raises

Stretch calf muscles, lower back, hamstrings. You need to stand up straight, put your feet shoulder-width apart, stretch your arms in front of you with your palms down. Perform cross leg raises, trying to touch the foot of the other palm.

Stretching and Flexibility Exercises

For arms, stretching and flexibility training can include the following exercises:

1. Compass

Well stretches the muscles and ligaments around shoulder joint, preparing him for more vigorous power activity. You need to stand up straight, stretch your arms to the sides at shoulder level. Perform ten circular rotations forward, and the same back. Over time, increase the amplitude until the plane of the exercise is close to vertical. You can also perform versatile rotations with your hands, in which one moves clockwise and the other counter-clockwise.

2. Scissors

Exercise perfectly stretches the muscles of the flexors of the arms. You need to straighten up, stretch straight arms in front of you at shoulder level. Start mixing and spreading your hands, imitating the movement of scissors.

3. Leading the hand behind the head

This exercise gives a dynamic stretch to the triceps. You need to raise your left arm above your head and bend it at the elbow. Then place your right hand a little lower elbow joint and pull it back until you feel that the muscle is as tense as possible. Hold for a few seconds at the point of maximum resistance, then return to the starting position. Repeat the same with the second hand.

4. Stretching the shoulder girdle

To stretch shoulder girdle, stand up straight, put your feet shoulder-width apart. Left hand pull it across your chest, take it by the elbow with your right hand and gently pull it towards you. When you feel enough stretch in the target muscles, hold for 10-15 seconds, then do the same with the other hand.

Exercises to Improve Back Flexibility

1. Pitch-tilt

This exercise improves the flexibility of the muscles of the back, buttocks, as well as the back of the thigh. You need to straighten up, take a step forward. Then, without rounding your back, bend over and try to reach your front foot. If you don't get it right away, that's fine. Do not arch your back, just try to go lower and lower each time. Returning to the starting position, do the same with the other leg. In total, it is enough to take 12-14 steps.

2. Lazy Stretches

This exercise is good for those who can do it anywhere - even in the office at the workplace, even at home in front of the TV. You need to sit on a chair, straighten up, tighten your abdominal muscles. Now bring your right knee up to your chest without rounding your back. Place your hands on your shin and gently pull towards you. Feeling enough tension in the lower back, linger for half a minute, and then repeat the same with the left leg.

3. Sitting bends

Such inclinations well pull the deep muscles located along the spine. You need to sit on the floor, bend your legs at the knees and spread them wide. Keep your back straight. Inhale slowly and deeply, relax your muscles. Exhaling, lean forward as far as you can, stretching your arms and trying to lie on the floor with your chest until you feel a sufficient stretch in your entire back. Hold the stretch for half a minute. It is recommended to repeat the exercise at least four times.

Stretching for the pectoral muscles

For chest muscles, you can use the following exercises:

1. Camel

You need to kneel, place your hands behind your lower back with your fingers down and tighten your stomach. Raise your head up, bend your torso back as much as possible, squeezing your shoulder blades. Hold for a few breaths, then sit on the floor. There is also a more complex version of the camel pose, in which you also need to take up the heels.

2. Bridge

The exercise stretches the muscles of the chest, while strengthening the quadriceps of the thigh. You need to lie on your back, bend your knees, put your heels close to your buttocks. Then lift your hips up as much as possible, press your forearms to the floor surface and move your shoulders further. Hold for five breaths at the highest point, then slowly return to the starting position.

3. Applause

Stand straight, stretch your arms in front of you at shoulder level, press your palms to each other. Keeping your arms straight, move them back as far as possible, then return to the starting position. The movement should resemble wide applause. It is recommended to repeat it at least 15 times, periodically changing the intensity of the claps.

Stretching exercises for the abdominal muscles

1. Awakening

Exercise helps stretch both the anterior and oblique abdominal muscles, and deep muscles stretching along the spine. Stand up straight, put your feet shoulder-width apart. Interlace your fingers and stretch your arms above your head, turning your palms towards the ceiling. Inhale, squeeze your abs and buttocks while stretching your arms up. Then exhale and lean to the right, keeping your hips tight. Hold for half a minute, then return to the starting position. Reach up to the ceiling again and lean to the other side.

2. Turns on a chair

Great exercise to stretch your abdominal muscles lower muscles backs, which are responsible for turning the body to the side. You need to sit on the front edge of the chair, press your feet firmly to the floor. Then turn your torso as much as possible to the left and grab the back of the chair with both hands. Additionally, try to tighten your core muscles. Hold for a few seconds, then return to the starting position. With a further turn, try to increase the range of motion. Do the same on the other side. In total, repeat the exercise 3-5 times.

The proposed set of exercises for the development of flexibility is perfect for anyone who pursues such a goal. Do it regularly and soon you will notice results.

Stretching at home: video tutorials

Body flexibility training helps to acquire good stretch and achieve heights in your favorite sport. Stretched muscles less prone to injury. Everyone can perform a set of exercises, and flexibility training should become an indispensable part of daily activities.

Such training is shown especially with a sedentary lifestyle - it can invigorate, give strength, strengthen the systems of the human body. Every muscle and joint must take part in training to improve physical condition and energy acquisition.

It is especially useful to perform flexibility exercises during times of emotional overload and stress. After all, the body is closely connected with the psyche, and muscle relaxation leads to a noticeable psychological effect - getting rid of stress and nervousness.

Types of flexibility in your body

Let's first understand the types of flexibility. Several types can be distinguished:

Dynamic (kinetic). It makes it possible to carry out dynamic movements in the joint in full amplitude. It is recommended for beginners.
statically active. These are exercises to maintain a stretched position with the help of muscle efforts.
static-passive- the acquisition of a certain position, and its support with the help of a partner, simulator, weight or any equipment.

Flexibility exercises are mainly performed successfully by women and young people - at a young age, stretching is maximum. However, you can not put a cross on yourself to people at the so-called "respectable" age. The level of flexibility is also affected by such factors as the elasticity of the tendons, the type of joint, and body temperature. The higher the temperature, the better the flexibility, and therefore exercises for training flexibility should begin with a warm-up.

5 Rules for Flexibility Training

It is necessary to evaluate the dynamic capabilities of a person.
Here you can not do without the advice of an experienced coach. It is important to first understand yourself, and understand whether you can perform certain exercises. If, for example, you have difficulty doing barbell squats, this does not mean that you need to devote a lot of time to exercises to improve mobility in the hip and ankle joint. The trainer's advice is important, or at least take the time to study the necessary literature, evaluate your capabilities. Individual factors play a role here and must be taken into account.
With the right approach, improvements will not be long in coming.
One of two things: either the improvement came immediately, or the exercise simply does not suit you. It's all about our physiological capabilities. They don't create enough shear force in the tissue, which is good because we're pretty fragile. Do not continue the same exercise that does not work. In addition to the negative effect on the muscles and tendons, you will not achieve anything. Identify the exercise that is not working and move on to another, performing it with a large amplitude. Gradually, the characteristics of your muscles will change, and you will be able to return to failed exercises.
Discomfort from stretching is not the same as pain.
Pain is dangerous and speaks of some kind of injury, and discomfort is just a signal to the brain that it is uncomfortable for him. The main thing in this situation is to “outwit” your psyche and not count the time until the end of the workout, performing uninteresting exercises, but give yourself some time to rest, catch your breath, and demonstrate to yourself that everything is under control. Flexibility exercises can be uncomfortable and should be tolerated. And pain is a signal that not everything is in order, in this case, the help of a doctor is recommended.
A pinched joint has nothing to do with stretching.
Stretching is very serious, and pinching can occur with the wrong position. If you experience discomfort, just change position. Do more flexibility and stretching exercises.
Do not abuse the use of rubber bands. It's not a projectile.
They were developed many years ago to change the mechanics of the joints in order to make difficult and dangerous movements easily accessible. And despite the fact that rubber band helps to cope with pain, it is better to perform a certain set of exercises as practice increases without it. This will improve the mobility of the joints and muscles.

Exercises to develop the flexibility of body parts

Stretching - essential part workouts and perform special exercises regularly.

Neck flexibility training

You should start by stretching the muscles of the head and neck.

Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, hands on hips. Without changing the position, start rotating the head, trying to make the movement go along the maximum circle.
Turn your head to the right and left 12 times, trying to increase the view. As you practice, you need to increase the speed of turns.
Touch your chin to your chest, then raise your eyes to the ceiling, tilt left and right. Repeat the exercise 12 times.
To carry out exercises on the muscles of the neck, you should lie on your back and bend over with a bridge, thus transferring the main load to the neck.

Forearm flexibility training

The next cycle of exercises is stretching the muscles of the forearm. To do this, you need to perform a series of simple exercises.

Take a standing position, feet shoulder-width apart. Spread your arms out to the sides so that they are parallel to the floor. Slightly clenching your fists, perform rotational movements in different directions several times.
Stretch your arms to the sides and raise them up until the palms touch and then lower them along a circular path.
Perform in a standing position circular rotations hands so that they are as close to the body as possible.

Arm Flexibility Workout

Take a standing position, legs slightly bent at the knees. With your left hand, touch the outer surface of your right arm above the elbow. Take away right hand to the side, overcoming the resistance of the left hand. Hold for 10 seconds, then repeat the exercise for the other hand.
Standing position, feet shoulder-width apart and slightly bent at the knees. Grab your right elbow with your left hand. Try to take the right elbow down, overcoming the resistance of the left, hold the static contraction of the arm for 3-4 seconds.

Workouts for flexibility and stretching of the hands

Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, put your hands behind your back, clasping them into the castle. Tilt your torso forward and raise your arms up behind your back, palms out. Hold this for 5-10 seconds, then return to the starting position.
Curl each finger toward the back of your hand, then open and close your fist.

Spinal flexibility and endurance training

Lie down on the mat and stretch your arms to one side and your legs to the other. In this case, the stretching of the spine improves.
Then do the same on the side, first for the left arm and leg, and then for the right.
Get on all fours and take your left leg out to the side. Then, without changing position, try to rise, stretching the spine.
Sit on the floor, bend one leg, fixing it in the groin area. After that, lean forward, twisting the spine. Then do the exercise on the other leg.

Pelvic Flexibility Exercises

Standing position, feet shoulder width apart, feet parallel. Gradually bend over, bending your knees slightly. Hold the stretch in this position for 10-15 seconds until completely relaxed.
Take a standing position, feet shoulder-width apart, slightly bent at the knees. Hold the floor for 30 seconds.
Sit with your legs wide apart, bend your right knee and right shin, put your left shin on top of your right one, so that your left ankle is above your right knee. Bend both feet for stability and knee protection.

Leg Flexibility and Stretching Workout

Right foot forward and left foot back. Rest your left knee on the floor. After that, slowly lean forward. Once you feel the stretch, hold the pose for 30 seconds. Inhale and as you exhale, lean even lower. Again freeze for 30 seconds. Slowly return to the starting position and change legs.
Straighten your right leg, leaning on your left knee. Hands rest on the floor. Now slowly bend your torso down, making sure your back stays straight. Having lowered down, linger in this position for 30 seconds, and then, exhaling, try to go down even lower. And then, feeling the stretch, return to the starting position and change your leg.
Lie on your back, lift your right leg up, grab it with your hand just above the knee. Inhale and, as you exhale, slowly pull your leg towards you. Hold for 30 seconds at the peak point and return to the starting position. Now change your leg.

Foot Flexibility Workout

Make slow rotational movements of the feet. You can perform it on a chair, hanging your legs. Rotate your foot inward and then in the opposite direction. In this case, the thumbs should be raised up.
This exercise is recommended by doctors for people with foot injuries. Roll up the towel and place it on the side of your affected leg. Then step on the towel with one foot, lift the other up and try to keep your balance.

Exercises for training flexibility are not limited to those listed. Moreover, there are a lot of them. But we have collected the main and most effective ones that can be used by both beginners and experienced athletes. Stretching plays an important role in all sports, as it brings the body into the necessary “combat” state.

By exercising daily before playing your favorite sport, you will achieve greater return on exercise. Flexibility training is extremely important at any age and in any sport.

Flexibility- an important thing, necessary and in many life situations simply irreplaceable. The biggest "problems" a person has, usually with the flexibility of the legs. At the very least, everyone can bend over. The hands are not offended in this regard either. But with the legs, things are more complicated ...

Therefore, I bring to your attention a set of exercises aimed at improving the flexibility of the back and front of the thighs, hamstrings (semitendinosus muscles, hip flexors and quadriceps). Essentially, every sport and every physical activity involves the use of these muscles, resulting in their increased tendency to stiffness and traumatic overexertion.

The exercises below are shown for one half of the body only. Be sure to repeat it for the other half. Hold each position for at least 30 seconds.

When doing any kind of stretching, you should always remember these six rules:

1. WARM-UP. Warming up increases the temperature of the muscles, which increases blood flow to the tissues. At the same time, muscle fibers will respond faster and more efficiently to stretching.

2. CAUTION. Do not apply excessive force by stretching the muscle. Approximately 6-10 seconds must pass before the internal defense mechanism of the muscle adapts to the new state. Then nervous system will allow muscle fibers to relax and change their length.

3. Hold the end position for 30 SECONDS.

4. AVOID JERKING. Jerks load the joints, ligaments and muscles.

5. BREATH. Deep rhythmic abdominal breathing will help increase blood circulation in the muscle tissues. As a result, the supply of nutrients to the muscle fibers increases. Breathing promotes concentration of consciousness and helps to relax.

6. STRETCH BOTH SIDES. To maintain muscle balance and symmetry, always stretch the left and right sides of a particular area.

Exercise #1

Stretching the muscles that extend the leg at the knee, standing on one leg (semitendinosus muscles)

Stand up straight. Put your right foot on a chair (or other support), the upper surface of which is approximately at the level of the pelvis. Pull the right foot towards you. Bend over, put your hands on the back of the chair and lower your head. Try not to bend your knees. The left foot is pointing straight forward. While tilting, keep your pelvis level. The two crests of the thigh look forward. Try to keep your back straight.

Exercise #2

Stretching the muscles that extend the leg at the knee, in a sitting position (semitendinosus muscles)

Sitting on the floor, the legs are extended in front of you, we pull the feet towards us, the back is even. We bend the right leg, wrap our hands around the ankle joint. Stretch the leg at the knee and pull it towards you. We do not lose the even position of the back.

Exercise #3

Stretching the muscles that extend the leg at the knee, in the supine position (semitendinosus muscles)

Lie on your back with one foot on the floor, the other stretch up. Grasp your leg with your hands and pull it towards you as close as possible. Make sure your knee doesn't bend.

Exercise #4

Stretching the muscles that straighten and rotate the hip ( gluteal muscles) and semitendinosus

Lie on your back, bend your left leg, placing your foot on the floor. Place your right ankle just above your right knee. Then we stretch the left leg at the knee, grab the lower leg with our hands and gently pull the leg towards us. Make sure the neck and back of the head are relaxed. Stretch slowly and carefully as this stretch puts stress on the sciatic nerve.

Exercise #5

Stretching the muscles that flex the leg hip joint and extensor it at the knee, in a standing position on one leg (quadriceps and hip flexor)

In a standing position, we transfer the weight of the body to the left leg, bend the right leg at the knee, grab the foot with our hands and pull the heel of the right leg to the buttock. Make sure your knees are together. support left foot looks ahead. At the same time, we move the pelvis forward. Fulfilling this exercise, do not apply excessive force, so as not to injure the knee joint.

Exercise #6

Stretching the muscles that flex the leg at the hip joint and extend it at the knee, in the supine position (quadriceps and hip flexor)

Lie on your left side. Slightly bend your left leg (this will help you balance while lying on your side), bend your right leg at the knee, grab your foot with your hand and pull the heel to the buttock. At the same time push the pelvis forward.

Exercise number 7

Stretching the muscles that extend the leg at the knee, in the lunge position (quadriceps and hip flexor)

Get into a lunge position with your left foot in front. Bend your knee at a 90 degree angle. The knee should be exactly above the foot. The right leg lies behind, knee on the floor. Bend the right knee, with the opposite (left) hand we grab the foot, the right palm rests on the floor in line with the foot. As you exhale, gently pull the heel towards the buttocks. At the same time, we stretch the right thigh to the floor.

Instruction

We develop hands: we clasp them in front of the chest, without opening our fingers - hands forward, left, right. At the same time, turn the palms forward. Next, we put our hands on the back of the chair, stand at an angle of 90 degrees, and make back and forth bends, straining our arms as much as possible at this moment.

We develop the torso: legs shoulder-width apart, slowly bend and touch the right heel, then the left. We clasp the shins with our palms, and begin to sway without unclenching our hands. We try to touch the head of the legs. We download.

We develop legs: One is naked on the ground, we take the second in our hands, and press it to, repeat several times. Beginners can do the exercise lying down. Repeat the exercise with both legs. Leg swings, forward, backward, with slopes to the left to the right. The leg should be relaxed.

Helpful advice

All exercises are performed with repetitions of 8-16 times, a full set of exercises, for one workout, is repeated 2-3 times.

Sources:

how to develop flexibility in a child

Many sports require not only great muscle mass but also great flexibility. Such parameters are largely determined by genes and biology, although anyone can try to develop them.

Instruction

Work on stretching. This is the simplest and most obvious solution, which will allow the body to move in a much more planes than before and in general, will help to feel lighter in everyday life. Teach yourself to stretch before each workout - this will relax the muscles and prepare them for stress. However, at the end of the session, be sure to spend 15 minutes stretching: muscles (like, for example) are less likely to tear when warmed up. Basic exercises are slopes ( good result consider the ability to fully rest your palm on the floor without bending your knees) and stretching the letter V - this is how you should spread your legs while on the floor. IN this case you should aim for 180 degrees, but 120 is an achievement.

Change . Of course, not completely, but try in addition to athletics to do, for example, acrobatics or snowboarding. This will not only load new muscle groups for you, but also significantly increase coordination - and this can compensate for any lack of innate plasticity. The ideal kind for this can be called - it requires maximum smoothness of movements and the ability to work with your body in hundreds of different situations. In order not to switch completely to this discipline, look at a few basic lessons on the Internet and work on the simplest movements. To bring them to the ideal, professionals can spend several years.

Spend more time on, parallel bars and other kinds metal structures. For inspiration, you can watch the BBC channel about animals: monkeys are just the height of plasticity. All due to the fact that even an elementary ascent of the Swedish stairs involves 3 times more muscle than the bench press. real flexibility lies in the ideal ability to work with your own body, without stress and excess weight. Therefore, pull-ups with different grips are almost ideal. physical activity.

Go to "4". by the most the best exercise, which came to us from the east, again is a copy of primates. Stand so that your palms are completely resting on the floor, and your feet are on your toes. At the same time, keep your head as high as possible and try to walk around the apartment. If the exercise causes even the slightest inconvenience, go to victorious end until you can smoothly do somersaults, spins and jumps in this position.

Prevention for pregnant women and not only

It is known that stretch marks mainly appear during pregnancy, after a sharp weight loss or during puberty. Be that as it may, you can always take preventive measures.

First of all, sharp fluctuations in weight should not be allowed. So, you need to watch your diet and exercise.

Take a contrast shower daily, combining it with salt peeling once a week.

Do your own massage problem areas using caffeinated lotion or plain honey. Coconut or olive oil will also work.

During pregnancy, wear a bandage, use creams with collagen and elastin, and make cool compresses with essential oils.

What can be done with your own hands

If the problem still appears, it is necessary to use folk recipes against stretch marks while the scars are still pink. The most popular procedures include wraps, peels and homemade ointments.

You need to buy aloe vera juice in a pharmacy. Drop 20 drops of an oil solution of tocopherol (vitamin E) and 10 drops of retinol (vitamin A) into 200 ml of liquid. Treat the affected areas of the skin with the substance in the morning and evening. Store the mixture in the refrigerator.

Pour 1 g of mummy with a teaspoon of water and wait for complete dissolution. Combine the solution with any fragrance-free body cream. This serving is enough for one application. Use every day.

To make a scrub, you need to grind 2 dessert spoons of oatmeal flakes in a coffee grinder and combine them with the same amount of blue clay. Add the pulp of one avocado fruit and a tablespoon of wheat germ oil to the dry mixture. Rub into clean skin after a shower. Remove the rest with a tissue.

Folk recipes for stretch marks include paraffin wraps, which should be done after a regular coffee peel. Dissolve in a water bath cosmetic paraffin(lanolin) and with a brush, quickly apply it to the affected areas in three layers. Wrap the top with cling film and a towel. The procedure time is 2 hours.

salon services

If it doesn’t work at home, you can resort to salon procedures. It's not cheap, but it guarantees 100% results.

Ozone therapy is recognized as the most effective. The procedure is quite painful, as it involves the introduction of gas under the skin. In addition to stretch marks, ozone therapy also removes cellulite. The full course of treatment is 10 weeks - one session per week.

Myostimulation will also help get rid of stretch marks. During the procedure, the skin is affected by a current of a certain frequency, which disperses the stagnant fluid in the tissues and tones the skin.

Mesotherapy involves microinjections injected with a special gun under the skin at different depths. For optimal effect, it is recommended to combine at least two types of procedures.

In a static position, the muscles become numb and eventually begin to atrophy. The easiest way to train muscles is stretching exercises. You won’t have to sweat during classes, so the main complex for stretching muscles is a real pleasure, not only warming up the body, but also preventing joint diseases.

Stretching is essential for health and to maintain flexibility. The most common stretching exercises prolong life and the ability to move independently even in old age.

Main positions

The main complex for stretching muscles includes the concepts of static tension, as well as passive, active and dynamic stretching.

Static stretching is usually used by beginners to warm up. The poses are done slowly to stretch and warm up the muscle at the same time. From the beginning to the maximum stretching of the muscle, at least half a minute should pass.

In passive stretching, the muscles also stretch very slowly, but resistance is added to load. For example, stretching the inside of the thigh, you can rest your legs apart against the wall or grab the hands of a partner in front.

Active stretching is a continuation of the passive one. When the muscles get stronger, it is necessary to refuse outside help and perform exercises only by force. own muscles. A striking example of active stretching is yoga and Pilates, when stretching is connected to the lungs. strength exercises without weight.

Most effective exercises for stretching are based on dynamic stretching. Postures are no longer static. Muscles stretched to the limit are smoothly transferred from one position to another, while maintaining a slight tension in the muscles.

proprioceptive muscle relief

The most common stretching exercises do not involve maximum muscle contraction. But people related to professional sports, necessarily perform such a complex.

The technique for performing these exercises is quite simple. First you need to tighten a certain group of muscles without moving this part of the body, i.e. isometrically. Then you need to relax and stretch the muscle to the maximum point.

proprioceptive muscle relief often performed with additional complication. In such exercises, isometric tension, relaxation and stretching ends in contraction of the agonist muscle.

How to avoid injury

Although static, stretching exercises can cause serious injury if performed incorrectly. To avoid sprains and rupture of ligaments, you can not neglect the warm-up. In addition, during the performance of postures, it is necessary to breathe evenly, without holding or accelerating the breath. It is also worth remembering that impatience and haste will lead to injury and pain, but will not improve the result.

Excellent stretching cannot be achieved by doing just a couple of exercises several times. It takes a long time and hard work, but the result will be stunning. In this case, the saying "Patience and work will grind everything" is very relevant, of course, the use of various tricks and tricks is also applicable.

What is the secret to flawless stretching?

How to achieve amazing stretching? The main thing is to get real pleasure from the process of stretching muscles and joints, strive for excellence and not stop before the difficulties of training. You can get a good stretch at almost any age. The first thing to do is to warm up the body well before doing stretching exercises. This process should be given at least 10-15 minutes, otherwise you risk “tearing” the muscles, thereby achieving nothing. Only a well-warmed body can be instilled with amazing stretching skills.

The room in which stretching exercises are performed should not be cold, as the muscles need warmth and comfort throughout the workout. Those people think wrong that amazing stretching can be achieved by making sharp movements with a large amplitude with their feet. It is calm, slow and measured movements that are the companions of a good stretching of muscles and joints.

A technique that promotes effective stretching

In order to get a perfect stretch, professional recommend using the following technique. It is necessary to take a pose that is required to work out specific muscles. Stretching consists of slowly sipping until the moment when the feeling of comfort borders on a little pain. Having reached this position, you should linger for at least 30 seconds. It is at this moment that the muscles work most actively and stretch to the maximum level. Workout after workout will allow you to become more flexible. It will be possible to linger in the position of statistical stretching not for 20-30 seconds, but for a minute or more, while the border of pain will shift further and further. During muscle training, it is imperative to pay attention to the part of the body that you are pulling. The minutes of relaxation between sets are also very important. During this period of time, you need to relax not only the body, but the mind.

In order to achieve a flawless stretch, you must strive to ensure that the muscles and ligaments are stretched symmetrically. Of course, you should not expect a noticeable positive result after a week of daily training, but after a month or two you will be able to enjoy the results of your efforts.

The modern rhythm of life practically obliges a person to have a healthy and strong body. Today, many people try to eat right and exercise, but, unfortunately, not everyone can boast of good flexibility. But it depends on this how easily you move. If you began to notice that movements such as the usual fastening of shoes began to be given more and more difficult, then most likely the reason for this was precisely the loss of flexibility. In this article, we will talk about what flexibility is, why it is needed and what affects it. We will also talk about how to develop it, what exercises should be performed and what rules must be observed in this case.

What determines the flexibility of the body

But first, it should be noted that "flexibility" is not a sports term. This ability is necessary for a person in the first place in order to freely perform various movements. Good flexibility indicates high elasticity of muscles, ligaments and joint mobility. Of course, the ability of tissues to stretch directly depends on the physical and mental health of a person. All organs and processes in the body are interconnected, so it is impossible to single out any one factor that affects flexibility. Among the factors that negatively affect muscle tone, age-related changes in the body and regular stress can be noted. A person can regain flexibility at absolutely any age. To achieve the desired result will help the implementation of appropriate exercises. However, each person must select the correct load depending on their state of health.

Simple stretching exercises

To begin with, we would like to consider the most simple and common exercises. Each of them is recommended to be performed at least 6 times. Remember that fluidity of movement is very important here. Changing the order is not recommended.

Exercise 1. Perform head tilts forward, backward, right and left in a standing position.

Exercise 2. Spread your straight arms to the sides and start rotational movements with your hands.

Exercise 3 Smoothly switch to rotation by arms in a wide amplitude back and forth.

Exercise 4 Connect your hands into a lock and place them on the back of your head, then start rotating your pelvis first to the right and then to the left.

Exercise 5 Put your feet close to each other, put your hands on your knees and rotate your legs first to the right and then to the left.

Exercise 6 Start bending forward, trying to touch the floor with your palms. At the same time, it is worth monitoring the condition of the knees, they should not be overstressed.

Exercise 7 Take a gymnastic stick or something with which it can be replaced. Hands should be fixed in a position wider than shoulders. They should be lifted up and pulled back as much as possible, as if twisting the joints. After some time, you can try to reduce the distance between the brushes.

Exercise 8 Stand with your feet apart and put your hands on your waist. Raising your right hand up, at the same time lean to the left. Then change the side of the slope and the arm.

Exercise 9 Sit on the floor with your legs extended forward and keeping them together. Try to reach your feet with your fingers.

These and other exercises will help increase the elasticity of muscles and ligaments and improve flexibility. However, before performing them, you should familiarize yourself with the contraindications and recommendations described below.

In what cases is stretching prohibited?

In some cases, stretching the muscles may not help, but only harm the person. Conditions in which exercise is prohibited include:

joint dislocations and unhealed bone fractures;
some time after intense workout. After heavy loads, only soothing exercises are allowed;
diseases of the joints, the presence of inflammation in the body.
cardiovascular diseases and pathologies in which the risk of blood clots is high.

Exercise rules

Before you begin to perform the exercises, you should study the rules below.

First you need to warm up the muscles. To do this, you can use a jump rope, a bike or just run.
During the exercise, you should not use force, in this case it is simply not needed.
Jerks and sudden movements can lead to serious injuries, so all exercises must be performed smoothly. When the body gets used, the load can be gradually increased.
Consistency in this case is the key to success. Regular execution exercises are much more important than how big the amplitude of the legs you have during the splits.
Transitions from one exercise to another should be smooth, it is better not to take breaks at all.
If during stretching you feel a sharp pain, then you must immediately stop doing the exercises. It is best to then move on to stretching another muscle group or simply reduce the amplitude.

If you stick to these rules, you can get the most out of your exercise. And by performing the given complex daily or at least every other day, in a few weeks you will be able to notice the result.

And to fix the result and make up for the lack of trace elements that affect overall well-being and, as a result, flexibility, special vitamin complexes can help. One of these is Selzinc Plus, which contains selenium, zinc, beta-carotene and vitamins E and C.