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Why Stretching for Weight Loss is Important

Stretching should be part of your weight loss routine each and every time you exercise. As a qualified trainer I can hand on heart say I hear this all the time (I couldn’t train cos my legs were so stiff) and they go on and on . If they took the time to stretch before hand and after they would have been able to train and wouldn’t be in pain.

So if you do a program correctly you can see results faster and avoid all that pain! Even if you’re not over weight exercising is hard work as you’re pushing your body as well as your mind.  One simple way that you can improve the way that exercise affects your body is to stretch before and after each of the workouts that you do.  No stretching itself won’t allow you to actually lose weight but it prepares your body for the exercise and helps return the muscle to a pre state condition after training.

So Stretching Before Exercise

Before you get started with your workout, take a few minutes to stretch.  Work on stretching each of your muscles groups and rotating all of your joints from the head down (mobility exercise). Move your body in the same type of movement as the training you will do. Warm the body up a bit then start stretching. Don’t stretch cold muscles! Relax as you do this and allow for your body to really feel the stretching happening. 

Now that your body is ready you can experience the full benefit of the workout that is to come.  In addition, you’ll be able to provide your body with the best protection from injury later on.  Once you have safely, slowly and actively stretched each muscle in your body, you can begin your workout.

Stretching After Your Workout

This is very important (even if you don’t have time) After you have completed your workout, it is time to begin stretching again.  The reason why should you stretch now is that stretching helps your body to begin to repair the muscles and also helps you to be less sore tomorrow.  By stretching now, you help the body put the muscle to what is called a pre state condition. When we train more blood flows and we heat up, when we cool down the muscle starts to shorten and we stretch it to return it to a pre state condition.

It’s not really important to understand but it is important for you that you do this each and every time. Trust me, I want you to get the body you want, I’m still talking about your body not somebody else. Its not type of website!

To your successful Training Program

Your friend

Michael