How to Stretch If You Hate Stretching
Luckily for me, physical activity is not a chore for me. I really enjoy cycling, running and playing football, and I do all of these on a regular basis. But when it comes to stretching – well, I hate it . My mantra is basically, “I will stretch when I die.” The attractive part of exercising and exercising is movement, and so when I am asked to put my body down on the mat and hold my body in a stagnant position, I just … I don’t do it.
In the same way that I only drink kombucha or take vitamins when I am already sick, I will deign to do my physical therapy exercises only when my low-key chronic injuries begin to exacerbate and interfere with my ability to move my body. simplicity. Otherwise, I treat my aches and pains as minor irritants that I can ignore. (I’m not alone in this – anyone who has ever been to a group session can probably witness the massive exodus that tends to occur in the last few minutes when all the “real” work is done and it’s time to stretch out.)
I realize this is unreliable and I want to take better care of myself, so I spoke to physical therapists, personal trainers, and yogis for advice on how to trick myself into accepting this less exciting but still much needed component of physical fitness.
Sneak while you’re doing something else
Jenn Menzer, a personal trainer and functional strength coach based in Boston, says she prefers to stretch when she waits in line at the grocery store. She will do a “heel-to-butt stretch for the quads or stretch the calves and hamstrings using the shopping cart as leverage.” The next time the train or bus gets delayed, try channeling some of the idle frustration into your muscles. Menzer recommends squeezing the buttocks for 30 seconds or, to increase balance, try standing on one leg with the opposite leg pressed against the thigh for 30 seconds, also known as tree pose , and then changing sides.
You can also try stretching in the morning while you’re still in bed and not fully awake, suggests Solange Wong , a Manhattan-based physical therapist. Try the piriformis stretch , also known as the “figure 4 stretch,” by lying down, bend one leg and cross the other ankle at the knee, then grasp the bent leg and press your elbow against the thigh of the opposite leg. until you feel a stretch in your buttocks. You can also press your knees to your chest or perform a bridge on your back , contracting your abs and lifting your hips into a bridge position, while keeping your back straight, knees bent, and feet on the mattress.
Have fun when you stretch
Adding a podcast or TV show accompanied by a foam rolling or stretching session can certainly take your mind off the monotony. “If you need to hold a position for a certain amount of time, instead of setting a timer or counting to yourself, you can use music to keep track of,” Wong recommends. You can achieve this by literally watching the rhythm of the song as you stretch, or by stretching one side of your body halfway through the song and then switching. Lauren McCabe , a strength yoga teacher from New Orleans, suggests putting together a playlist of cool tunes to help you unwind with a cyclic post-workout stretch.
Stop thinking of stretching as a stagnant activity
If you, like me, find stretching a boring part of the exercise, you may be doing it wrong. McCabe suggests thinking of it as “an extension of your workout so you can easily integrate it into your exercise routine,” not as an isolated activity.
Jael McCants, a DPT graduate student at NYU Steinhardt (and full disclosure, member of my soccer team), advocates dynamic stretches that make you move, as opposed to the stagnant stretches that you do while sitting. Think of the warm-up as literally “raising your body temperature” by “working through the full range of motion of the joint,” such as swinging your legs or arms, rolling your shoulders, or jumping on a hex or jumping rope for a minute, she says. McCants recommends downloading the Nike Training app , which guides users through dynamic stretching examples.
After exercising, it can be tempting to give up the hitch and take a shower and get on with your life. But there are ways to relax tired muscles a little without doing it a separate matter. McCants offers a dynamic standing quads stretch: grab your heel and pull your leg behind you, then continue to switch from one leg to the other in a smooth motion. She also offers slow lunges, squeezing the glutes of the back leg for 30 seconds so that you feel the hip flexor stretch. For the upper body, the overhead triceps stretch can be done while standing, while the wall chest stretch will help open up tense chest and shoulder muscles.
Make it social
If you’re having a hard time getting yourself to step on the rug at home, stretching with other people may be what you need to motivate yourself. If you can, sign up for yoga or Pilates classes – look for “regenerative yoga” classes that focus on long poses for slower and deeper stretches, or “yoga for runners” classes that focus on poses that improve flexibility and target general areas of muscle tension, such as piriformis, hamstrings, and hip flexors, or watch for social and fitness-related events. McCabe has a healthy happy hour at New Orleans’ Starlight Bar: an hour of yoga, followed by live music and food. If you are involved in group sports, encourage your team to warm up and cool down together. McCants leads our soccer team through the FIFA 11+ warm-up , a combination of strength, plyometric and balance exercises including lunges, squats, side jumps and other movement exercises that help prevent common movement exercises. field injuries.
For staying flexible and not dying of boredom!