Exercise is a great way to increase the weight loss benefits you enjoy after surgery. It’s also the best way to become more fit, increase your endurance, and look and feel healthier. But before you hop on a treadmill or start lifting weights, you must first warm up your body with flexibility exercises.
Flexibility exercises allow your muscles and joints to warm up and get ready for the more intense workout ahead. By practicing these exercises, you reduce your risk of injury and put your body in the right state before you work out. In addition, you will improve your circulation, balance, and posture, all while increasing your coordination and range of motion.
Flexibility Exercise Guidelines
Flexibility exercises involve stretching all the muscles and joints that will be used in your upcoming workout. Stretching is not something that should be taken lightly because, when done wrong, it can result in injury or strain. Follow these guidelines before and during your flexibility exercises:
- Walk or jog slowly as a warm-up for stretching.
- When you stretch, do so slowly. Think of your body as an elastic band—you do not want to stretch too quickly or erratically.
- Hold each of your stretches for at least 10 seconds and for no longer than 30 seconds.
- If at any point during the stretches you feel pain, you should slowly go back to your starting position. At no point should stretching be painful. You should feel some tightness and slight resistance, but you shouldn’t feel pain.
- When you stretch the lower back and neck areas, be very careful, slow, and deliberate. These areas are very delicate and injury can happen quickly.
- If you have muscles that feel tight and are difficult to move, stretch them to increase circulation and flexibility.
- Be sure to continue breathing as you stretch. The best type of breathing to do while stretching is deep breathing that is slow and calm and starts deep in the abdomen.
- Stretch both before and after your workout routine. Exercise can result in tense muscles, and stretching helps relieve that tension after a workout. It also increases circulation, which can help additional blood and nutrients get to these worked-out areas.