Stretching and breathing

Make Stretching and Breathing a Part of your Routine

Can you imagine taking a piece of taffy out of the refrigerator and expecting it to stretch? That is the way your muscles are when they are cold. You need to stretch them before you work out so that they will be warmed up and limber. If you do not warm up first, you are at risk for injuries.

You should warm up for five to ten minutes by stretching; hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds. (Do not bounce during this process.) Then exercise moderately; then cool down by exercising more moderately for five to ten minutes; and gently stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. If you are sweating, it is a good indicator that you have warmed up sufficiently.

There are some things to consider when stretching. One thing is to breathe deeply as you hold the stretch. Breathing is a very important part of exercising. When breathing correctly, you can actually feel the muscle release. It is probably most comfortable for you to breathe through your mouth. A good way to breathe if you become short of breath is to inhale through your nose and exhale out your mouth for 10 breaths. This will force air back into your diaphragm. Do not inhale through your mouth. Through diaphragm breathing oxygen is supplied to your muscles and thereby flushing out the lactic acid, which accounts for the stiffness and burning sensation. While breathing through your nose you can see how your body responds when it converts back into the performance mode.

Routine Stretches and Breathing