Estepona Park | The Importance of Stretching Before and After Your Workout
Training isn’t just about adding more reps, kilometres or minutes of exercise. How we prepare the body before starting and how we finish the session also matters.
Spending a few minutes on mobility and stretching can help improve flexibility, maintain a good range of motion and allow the body to move from activity to rest more gradually. It’s a small habit we often forget when we’re in a hurry, but one that deserves a place in our routine.
And if you need a little inspiration to put it into practice, on Estepona Park’s Instagram you’ll find a VivaGym stretching routine that you can save for your next workout.
Before training: prepare your body
Before you start exercising, your body needs to warm up gradually. This is where dynamic movements and mobility exercises are especially useful: moving your shoulders and arms, doing gentle rotations, mobilising your hips and ankles, or performing movements similar to those you’ll use during your workout.
The aim is simple: to get moving progressively and prepare your muscles and joints for the activity ahead.
Afterwards: take a few minutes to slow down
Once the most intense part of your workout is over, it’s time to change the focus.
This is a good moment to spend a few minutes on slower, more controlled stretches, paying particular attention to the muscle groups you’ve just worked.
There’s no need to push to the limit or feel pain. Stretching should feel comfortable, without bouncing, and you should be able to breathe normally while holding each position.
5 simple tips for stretching
Spend a few minutes on it. You don’t need a long stretching session to make it part of your routine.
Move progressively before training. Start gently and gradually increase the intensity.
Avoid bouncing. Movements should be slow and controlled.
Don’t force it. You should feel the stretch, but never pain.
Adapt your stretches to your workout. Pay special attention to the areas you’ve worked the most that day.
Did you know…? Yoga, one of the oldest practices associated with mobility and flexibility, has a history spanning thousands of years and already included postures designed to work the body and improve its range of motion.
Make stretching part of your routine
As with so many habits related to exercise, the key isn’t to do it perfectly one day, but to build it into your routine gradually and stay consistent.
Preparing your body before you start and setting aside a few minutes at the end can help you create a more complete and mindful training routine.
And remember: if you’re not sure where to begin, you can follow the VivaGym stretching routine on our Estepona Park Instagram during your next workout.
Because taking care of your training also means taking care of those minutes before and after.
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