Illustrated Stretching Exercises To Improve Your Quality Of Life And Your Sports Performance
Illustrated Stretching Exercises For Everyone
Stretching exercises for quite a number of people are not fun to perform.
On the other hand there are those who enjoy yoga, tai chi and a variety of other stretching programs as they really love the sense of stretching to further increase their flexibility.
Because there is such diversity in people's attitude and enjoyment of stretching you will find in our down-loadable books (yet to be uploaded onto the site) a large number of stretching flexibility exercises and stretching programs to cater for all levels of stretching ability.
Discover Short Effective Stretching Routines
You will discover brief and basic 10 minute stretching routines as well as longer advanced programs that take around 30 to 60 minutes.
You will be able to follow the routines exactly as set out or choose to customize the illustrated stretching exercises to specifically meet your needs.
As with most activities in life, the more you become familiar with performing an activity and the better you become, the more your enjoyment increases.
I have asked Jonathan to share a little of his stretching journey, as it will provide some insight to those who may currently be feeling somewhat reluctant to get into a stretching program...
The Benefits of Following Illustrated Stretching Exercises - a Personal Account
Hi there. I will try to keep this brief, which won't be that easy for me as I tend to rave on about issues I have a passion about.
I have been surfing for over 40 years and because surfing involves hyper-extending your back a lot when paddling you put heaps of continuous pressure on your back, shoulder and neck muscles and joints.
In your teens and twenties, such ongoing stress on those muscles and joints isn't usually a problem, but as you move into your thirties, forties, fifties and beyond, if you don't work on keeping those joints flexible you are going to either have to put up with pain or stop surfing. What I found was that my surf sessions were at times very uncomfortable. I felt as if there were a number of red-hot daggers being stuck in my shoulder blades area and neck.
These Stretches Will Keep You Agile
I ended up regularly visiting chiropractors and osteopaths to find ways to free up the pain and tightness in my back, neck and shoulders. One osteopath gave me a simple stretching program to follow using an exercise ball. These few simple stretches made a major difference to my surfing enjoyment. I found paddling on my surfboard was stronger and pain free, a massive relief! Over time I added further stretches, particularly when I began martial arts classes with our eldest son as I needed increased flexibility to perform high kicks.
This led me to research more and more into stretching and today I perform illustrated stretching exercises that combine various yoga stretches with a number of martial arts stretches, plus a few innovative stretches that I have developed over time.
A Way To Enjoy Stretching
I used to loathe stretching of any sort. I first found stretching uncomfortable, passive and boring. What I discovered was that as I persevered and focused on stretching techniques that were not just passive, but required a good degree of concentration and alternate phases of resistance and relaxation into the stretching, my enjoyment considerably increased.
Of course, the fact that I was able to enjoy surfing so much more because of following illustrated stretching exercises was also an added bonus for me.
To finish off I'd like to mention that I am no great circus contortionist. That isn't my goal and never will be. But I am generally far more flexible than I have ever been, and that includes my teenage years. I am now looking forward to continue surfing for many years ahead, and to remain very mobile for the rest of my life. Cheers to stretching!!!
A Flexible Body Is Likely to be a Pain Free Body
When Jonathan started stretching he found he had very tight hamstrings which were putting a lot of stress on his lower back. As he continued to focus on hamstring stretches his lower back pain gradually disappeared.
It is important to understand the connectivity between the various muscle groups and joints of our body. It may be that you have neck pain but that may well be related to various vertebrae not being correctly aligned which could be from your muscles being in spasm. I am using this hypothetical situation to explain the need to have a holistic approach when following an illustrated stretching exercises routine or any other exercise program you follow. Over time when you regularly follow an effective stretching program you could well experience reduced pain or even the elimination of chronic pain in different areas of your body.
Performing shoulder stretches, neck stretches, calf stretches, glute stretches and other stretches for specific areas of your body will mobilize the joints and provide greater flexibility - essential to living a life of quality.
Stop Chronic Back Pain
A high percentage of people suffer from chronic back pain. As people age their stiff and painful joints can prevent them from being able to fully enjoy their lives. Effective back stretching exercises can have fantastic benefits in allowing us to live a very active life right through our senior years.
Following illustrated stretching exercises regularly will greatly decrease the likelihood of your needing to use a mobility scooter as the years go by. If you are a golfer, a keen hiker, a kayaker, or avid participant in some athletic and sporting activity you will be able to continue enjoying your recreational activity for many years to come by keeping up a regular and effective stretching program.
Improve Your Sports Performance and Health
There are great illustrated stretching exercises for runners as there are effective illustrated stretching exercises for golfers with excellent stretching routines to suit any particular activity, from gardening to rock climbing.
Whether you want to kick higher for your martial arts, twist your torso further and faster for discus throwing, or keep your shoulders very flexible and mobile for swimming, stretching will enhance your athletic performance.
Yet the greatest benefit I see in performing illustrated stretching exercises regularly is how through increased flexibility and mobility you are able to enjoy a wonderful quality of life with the ability to be involved in activities for most, if not for all, of your life ahead.
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