7 Easy Ways to Improve Your Flexibility

Looking to improve your flexibility or wondering if you can? Although it may seem like some people are just born flexible and others are not, there is good news. Even if you are not naturally flexible, there are a variety of small, simple steps you can take to improve your flexibility. You might be surprised to find that improving your flexibility is not only easy, but it provides a number of health benefits, including reducing tension, improved balance, pain relief, and increased strength. Keep reading to learn what steps you can take to improve your flexibility.

Practice Good Posture

One of the top ways you can improve your flexibility is simpler than you might think. Practicing proper posture can make a significant difference. Many of the daily activities we participate in cause us to round our bodies over in a hunched position. Whether you are typing on your computer, driving, or sending a text, it can be easy to lean forward. This causes muscle tightness and reduces flexibility over time. Practicing good posture throughout your day-to-day life can make a big difference.

Get The Right Gear

When you think of stretching, you probably don't think of gear or even clothing, but the truth is both can help you along in your journey to increased flexibility. If you are looking to practice dynamic stretching or flexibility training, it will be considerably harder if you are wearing jeans. Be sure to wear clothing that can stretch with you. You may also want to consider adding a foam roller to your equipment. Foam rolling can help you stretch out tight muscles and increase your range of motion.

Incorporate Stretching Into Your Routine

Practice leads to improvement. Consider adding stretching to your workout routine a few times a week. Consistency can make a significant difference. Stretching every day for a short time or even a few times a week can prevent tension in your muscles and joints. This will help you improve your full range of motion.

Join a Yoga Class

Consider taking a yoga class. Yoga is designed to help improve flexibility and increase mobility. There are several different types of yoga to try, from gentle yoga to more intense vinyasas. Yoga incorporates a variety of different types of stretching and offers poses for any fitness level.

Warm-up Your Muscles

Try warming up your muscles before you stretch. Try taking a warm shower, using a sauna, or just turning up the temperature a little before you get started. Your muscles will tend to tense up when you are cold. This will help your muscles to stretch and lengthen more easily.

Deep Breathing

Have you ever held your breath during a particularly difficult or challenging part of a workout? It feels almost natural to hold your breath in situations like these. However, it does not help you improve quite as you would think. If you are looking for an easy way to get deeper into a stretch, use deep breathing. Taking a deep breath and settling deeper into your stretch as you release your breath can help you ease into any pose by helping you relax your muscles. It also gives you something else to focus on other than discomfort.

Take Time to Rest

Much like how you have rest and recovery days when you are training for a marathon or practicing for another event, you should also have days of rest when it comes to stretching. Although gentle and light stretches are a great everyday way to become more flexible, you should not do more intense or deep stretching workouts every day. Taking time to rest and recover will prevent injury.

Stay Hydrated

We often hear about hydration when we talk about cardio or strength training, but it is also important for improving flexibility. Staying well-hydrated flushes out lactic acid which can cause pain. Proper hydration can also prevent muscle cramping.

Discover More Fitness Tips

Better flexibility is a goal anyone can attain if they take the right steps. Whether you want to touch your toes for the very first time or reduce some stiffness after an intense workout, these tips are sure to help you get there faster. Looking for more health and fitness tips? Read the XTERRA blog for more.