Can you help coach me with respect to incorporating flexibility into my fitness routine?

[Laurie4b]

How do you incorporate flexibility into your life if you don't do a class or whole DVD of yoga, Pilates, or Tai Chi? 

 

Do you have suggestions for how I can take some more baby steps in the direction of improving my flexibility?  (I do well with a "baby step" approach. In strength training, I started with several months of doing planks, bodyweight squats, and wall-push-ups. I was regular doing "some" strength training. Now I have a full routine.)  

 

I think I could benefit most from tips about how to motivate myself to add stretches at the end of cardio and strength training (I have already put in a lot of time and want to be "done", ya know?)

 

Also, are there stretches that I can do when I am waiting for something (like waiting for the oil to get hot or the water to boil?) I would be likely to do those!

 

I am also more likely to stretch if I do not have to get down on the floor. We don't have carpet, so it means going to get a mat. 

 

I need hamstring stretches the most. I know the one where you put your foot on a chair or bench and lean forward. Since hamstrings and quads are opposing muscles, do I need to stretch both? (Or other lower body muscles?) 

Edited March 12, 2016 by Laurie4b

[StephanieZ]

There are GOBS of stretches you can do while waiting around. When I was running high mileage, I typically stretched whenever I was waiting around for anything -- it just became a habit, as my muscles were always *talking* to me, reminding me they needed stretching, lol.

 

There's no magic in stretching, IME. It's just a matter of learning some moves and then incorporating them into your life. The ones I do the most are the ones I learned by having problems . . . If hamstrings were causing me trouble, I'd google up hamstring stretches, choose a couple to learn (5 min), then start doing them . . . 

 

FWIW, the most important time to stretch is AFTER exercise. Stretching before is actually rather controversial and many coaches/athletes say that's actually bad for you to stretch "cold" muscles. So, stretch after workouts . . . and, then, IME, incorporate stretches into your waiting around time. Just look for ones that can be done standing, as those are the easiest to do nearly anywhere. 

 

I won't list specific stretches, as I think you'd be better off learning them from websites that show pictures and give more detail than I can. 

 

Just remember to move SLOWLY and stretch GENTLY. Most experts say to hold stretches a long time, say 60 seconds. I'm not that patient, but I count breaths and aim for at least 20-30 seconds per move, and I move slowly and I know my body, so I don't hurt myself. Also, repeat each stretch at lest 2-3 times because you get a LOT better result on the 2nd/3rd stretch than the first, so if you're aiming to improve, those additional repetitions are very helpful. 

[Tsuga]

I was all set to say that I have the opposite problem but then I realized you were talking about fitness, LOL. 

 

How do you incorporate flexibility into your life if you don't do a class or whole DVD of yoga, Pilates, or Tai Chi? 

 

 

Pilates or yoga video. Gaiam has beginner videos with a focus on safety.

[Laurie4b]

I was all set to say that I have the opposite problem but then I realized you were talking about fitness, LOL. 

 

 

Pilates or yoga video. Gaiam has beginner videos with a focus on safety.

 

Good catch! I edited the subject line.  I had the hyperflexibility problem as a homeschool mom. Not so much in the physique!

[Luckymama]

My motivation for stretching is to avoid injury. I have lost large chunks of two years to injury and associated physical therapy. I do not want to go through that again, so I make myself stretch before (just some brief shoulder stretches as that's my troubled area) and after (I try for 10 minutes) exercise.

[Truscifi]

I would just google easy standing cooldown stretches. There are lots of videos. You can probably even find some that are already organized into a little 5 minute stretching routine. 

[KathyBC]

We have this book for dh and the kids' sports. If anything is sore, I can grab it and find a few stretches or many. We have an inexpensive yoga mat from Walmart stored under one of the couches, so it's easy to grab and use or grab and go.

 

My Zumba dvds came with a quick warm-up/cool-down set of stretches. Since I'm doing them a couple of times every day they've become completely automatic and I can do them in a few minutes before and after any activity. ETA: The benefit of these stretches is they are all standing. Much more likely to get done.

 

I would eventually like to try Yoga, Pilates or Tai Chi in a more serious way, too. Someday!

Edited March 15, 2016 by KathyBC