If you want to use a treadmill to help burn calories and lose weight then it is really important that you stretch your muscles before you start exercising. Stretching helps to prevent injuries which could reduce your performance and the effectiveness of your workout.
It is best to fully stretch both before and after you begin walking on your treadmill. By stretching before your exercise you will help to warm your muscles allowing yourself extra flexibility, and by stretching afterwards you will help to prevent your muscles stiffening up.
Here are some stretching tips to help you prevent injury to your muscles:
1. Don't stretch until it hurts. Some people push their muscles to the point of pain, thinking that it provides a better stretch. Instead, stretch to a position that is comfortable for your body and hold it for about 20 seconds.
2. When stretching you should always breathe - some people believe that holding their breathe will help, but this is not the case. By actually doing some deep breathing exercises you will be able to give your muscles a much more thorough stretch.
3. Warm up your muscles before you stretch. Some people believe that stretching is the warm-up. But you should walk or jog for a few minutes to get the blood flowing and then begin to stretch.
4. After your workout, you can stretch after you take a warm bath or shower. The hot water will help relax your muscles, and the after workout stretch will feel good.
5. Never bounce while you are stretching. You may have seen athletes on TV do this, but it is very dangerous because instead of stopping injuries you could actually cause yourself serious harm.
A lot of people assume that a treadmill will only exercise the leg muscles when in fact it delivers a full body workout. While it is important to stretch your calf muscles, quadriceps, and hamstrings it is also extremely important to stretch muscles in other areas as well such as the shoulders, neck, back and abs.
Don't just bend over and hang, trying to touch your toes. Add some additional stretches, such as the splits, lunges, and calf stretches where you stand on the edge of a step or curb and drop your heels to the point right before it becomes uncomfortable.
When stretching you should always make sure your movements and slow and deliberate - it actually helps to keep some tension in the muscles to get the most out of your stretch. And remember, you should never stretch to the point where it becomes painful.
It is best to fully stretch both before and after you begin walking on your treadmill. By stretching before your exercise you will help to warm your muscles allowing yourself extra flexibility, and by stretching afterwards you will help to prevent your muscles stiffening up.
Here are some stretching tips to help you prevent injury to your muscles:
1. Don't stretch until it hurts. Some people push their muscles to the point of pain, thinking that it provides a better stretch. Instead, stretch to a position that is comfortable for your body and hold it for about 20 seconds.
2. When stretching you should always breathe - some people believe that holding their breathe will help, but this is not the case. By actually doing some deep breathing exercises you will be able to give your muscles a much more thorough stretch.
3. Warm up your muscles before you stretch. Some people believe that stretching is the warm-up. But you should walk or jog for a few minutes to get the blood flowing and then begin to stretch.
4. After your workout, you can stretch after you take a warm bath or shower. The hot water will help relax your muscles, and the after workout stretch will feel good.
5. Never bounce while you are stretching. You may have seen athletes on TV do this, but it is very dangerous because instead of stopping injuries you could actually cause yourself serious harm.
A lot of people assume that a treadmill will only exercise the leg muscles when in fact it delivers a full body workout. While it is important to stretch your calf muscles, quadriceps, and hamstrings it is also extremely important to stretch muscles in other areas as well such as the shoulders, neck, back and abs.
Don't just bend over and hang, trying to touch your toes. Add some additional stretches, such as the splits, lunges, and calf stretches where you stand on the edge of a step or curb and drop your heels to the point right before it becomes uncomfortable.
When stretching you should always make sure your movements and slow and deliberate - it actually helps to keep some tension in the muscles to get the most out of your stretch. And remember, you should never stretch to the point where it becomes painful.
About the Author:
Treadmill walking for weight loss is a fantastic first step after you have those muscles stretched! Get treadmill workout strategies including indepth reviews of the best rated treadmills here.
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