6 tools that will alleviate your stretching routine.
Stretching is just as vital as exercise. Do you neglect to stretch as part of your workout? Please don’t jump to your high-intensity workouts like stretching routine.
Among other things, stretching can help you enhance your range of motion and lower your risk of injury.
Developing flexibility, on the other hand, is a marathon rather than a sprint. There are, however, modest baby steps you can take daily to help you become more flexible, and props are one of the best tools to aid you along the way.
The Health Fortune recommends you try the following props to enhance your best stretching routine. These props will improve your posture and increase your take your flexibility to a next level.
1. Supported Stability Ball
When combined with the stability ball, a support frame, provides a stationary platform with increased stability. Most of the stretches can also be done in a firm chair. But a supported stability ball gives multiple stretching and exercising positions to experiment. You can target multiple muscles. Here we have suggested a few exercises you can try.
Chest Stretch
Sit on the ball and slowly walk your feet out until you’re fully supported on the ball. If necessary, cling to a wall for support.
Allow your hips and head to relax on the ball, and your arms to slowly fall out to the sides and towards the floor. In your chest and core, feel a profound stretch.
Take 3-5 deep breaths while holding this position.
Full Body Stretching Routine
This full-body stretch is perfect for stretching both the front and back of your body using the ball.
Stand in front of the ball with your legs wide. Place your hands on the ball and, keeping a slight bend in the knees, roll the ball forward.
Press down with your chest while rolling the ball out to stretch the hamstrings and the calves. Hold for 3-5 breaths.
2. Stretch Rope
It’s just a rope that you can get from any home goods store. This piece of equipment aids in the action and gives the targeted muscle region a deeper stretch. It’s good to use a 7-foot length. You can use a rope but instead, we will suggest you try resistance bands that are available in the market for the same purpose. These have handles on each side and are stretchable. We have also shared a few stretching exercises that you can try.
Hamstring Stretch
To produce tension, lie on the floor and loop the band around your right foot, grabbing it closer to your foot. Straighten your right leg as far as you can while maintaining your left leg bending on the floor. Pull your right leg in close to you, stretching the back of the leg. Switch sides after holding for 15 to 30 seconds.
Upper Body Stretch
Loop the band around both feet as you sit on the floor with your legs extended. With both hands near the feet, cross the band and grip one side on each side. Curl the back gently towards the rear of the room, using the bands to generate stress and stretch.
Keep your abs engaged and avoid collapsing over your legs. While aiming your torso toward your feet, feel your shoulder blades stretch open. Hold your breath for 15 to 30 seconds.
3. Dowel Rod
A broomstick might be used in its place. To achieve a broader range of motion, it is frequently used in conjunction with rotational poses and overhead motions around the shoulders. It is simply a large size rod made up of wood. It is available in different sizes and weights on market. You can try a back stretch by following the given steps to improve your flexibility.
Back Stretch
Hold the dowel in both hands at approximately shoulder height with your feet wider than shoulder width.
Drop your chest and head to the floor by leaning forward at the hip. Gently press the dowel forward, lift your chest toward the floor, and push your butt back.
Hold for 15-30 seconds. In the bottom position, move around gently to stretch your spine and create space between the vertebrae.
4. Risers
For several the stretching routine, any stable elevated surface can act as a substitute for risers. The risers, on the other hand, are useful because they can be adjusted to your preferred height. Risers are available in the market in different sizes and also in adjustable forms so that you can adjust the size as per the intensity of your workout. You can try these two amazing moves.
Raised Glute Bridges
Lay flat on your back on the ground, both feet on the step’s long end. Place your hands by your sides, palms facing up. As close to the step as feasible, place your glutes. Check that your knees are at a comfortable angle. Raise your hips toward the ceiling by pushing with your both feet. Return to your starting position by lowering the hips down.
Raised Stretch Push-Ups
The stretch push-up is a push-up variation that works the upper-body push muscles such as the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Stretching push-ups increases the exercise’s range of motion, which can lead to more muscle growth. Before progressing to more complex versions, it is necessary to master the traditional push-up.
5. Foam Roller
The foam roller is used to relieve muscle tension and has similar effects to receiving a massage. The foam roller is an excellent warm-up tool for any exercise and can be used on most muscle groups. It tightens the muscles and relaxes the trigger points. This is a form of self-massaging tool. A few stretches you can try with a foam roller are,
Quad Stretch
Begin by lying down on the foam roller with your back to the floor and your arms in a forearm plank posture. Place the foam roller underneath your left hip flexor and bend your right leg to the side comfortably.
Begin rolling the foam roller up and down and side to side while resting on your forearms to target the hip flexor, paying special attention to trigger points.
Do this for a total of 30 seconds. Rep on the right hip flexor.
Calves Stretch
Begin by sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out and a foam roller underneath your calves.
Raise your body to the point where your weight is supported by the foam roller. For additional pressure, cross your left leg over your right.
Slowly roll your right calf on the foam roller, moving your body forward and back with your arms. 30 seconds to complete. Focus on your left calf as you switch legs.
Hamstring Stretch
Again, start by sitting on the floor with your legs extended. This time, position the foam roller underneath your hamstrings. Lift your body so your weight is resting on the foam roller and begin to slowly roll up and down between the back of your knees and your glutes. Linger on tender spots, and roll for at least 30 seconds overall. An alternative way to complete this is to again cross your legs and focus on one hamstring at a time.
6. Stability Ball and Medicine Ball
There are a variety of ball sizes to choose from. A stability ball is a huge ball that can be found in many fitness stores. By including a balance component or a wider range of motion, the stability ball offers an added dimension to many stretches. Props include medicine balls of varying sizes, but any kind of sports ball will suffice.
Shoulder Press
This is a beginner-friendly maneuver, but you may make it more challenging by using a heavier ball. Hold a medicine ball in front of your sternum about an inch away from your chest.
Reach the ball aloft with your arms extended to the ceiling, then carefully lower it back to the starting position.
A lot of exercises discussed above are recommended to be performed with the specific prop only. Do not try to experiment with any exercise with a substitute stretching routine. Also do keep in mind the posture and the stretch you are feeling are not beyond your comfort level. You might end up straining your muscles if you either start performing an advanced level of stretching immediately at a beginner level.
