2 Great Stretch Exercises to Relieve a Tired and Stressed Out Body

Many people underestimate the benefits of stretching. They think that it is not important because it does not give them an intensive workout. For this and many other reasons a lot of people either forget or do not bother doing a stretching routine before they exercise.

Stretching is very important and should always be a part of your fitness training program. People who do not stretch before an exercise are limiting their performance and increasing their risk of straining muscles and tendons.

By not stretching they are also missing out on a lot of benefits. For example, stretching helps to increase the blood flow around the body. This helps to make the body more mobile. A regular stretch makes us more flexible and mobile which can help us with even the simplest tasks of reaching up and grabbing a tin of food from the shelf.

Regular stretching is also beneficial when it comes to relaxing our body. Many people today become stressed out with tense muscles around the shoulders and neck. This makes people tired and grumpy. This has a lot to do with sitting in one place for a long length of time. This happens to many people who work in front of a computer all day. It is advisable that you do not sit in the same position for more than 20 minutes. If more people did mini stretching breaks they would feel a lot better and more relaxed.

To get you into the habit of stretching why not give the following stretches a try:

The Kneeling Shoulder Stretch

This routine focuses on stretching the middle and front of the shoulders. You do this on the floor so you may want to use a yoga mat to feel more comfortable. Go down on all fours and sit back on your heels then bend your upper body forward. Straighten out your arms and fingers fully on to the mat in front of you. Hold this position for a count of 12 and breathe in and out slowly and relaxed.

The Cobra

This stretch is commonly used in yoga. Begin lying fully stretched on the floor or yoga mat. Raise your upper body onto your forearms with your palms flat and pointing forward. Push your hips into the mat and extend your back with eyes looking forward. Breathe to a count of six as you extend your back and breathe out for a count of six as you lower your torso to the surface of the mat.


Sarah Woodbridge has been writing articles for over 2 years on subjects she cares greatly about. Check out her new website that discusses toddler travel bed [http://www.toddlertravelbedshop.com/] and travel toddler beds [http://www.toddlertravelbedshop.com/travel-toddler-beds.html] and other children travelling products and accessories.

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