For example, greater range of motion in your hips and knees will allow you to sink deeper into a squat. That’s important, since a better range of motion can mean better muscle recruitment during your workouts, as SELF reported previously. For one, stretching boosts flexibility, which can improve both your short-term and your long-term range of motion. There are tons of benefits of stretching. Read on for why stretching is so important, and then try some of the 21 best stretching exercises below! Why is stretching so important? Wherever your muscles are tight, stretching and flexibility exercises can bring a huge benefit. That’s where stretching comes in, whether we’re talking about back stretches, upper-body stretches, or leg stretches. Imbalances in the body increase your risk for injury because they can cause some muscles and joints to overcompensate for other ones that are too tight to engage properly. "However, you can’t just do strength training and cardio without putting yourself at risk for injury and pain." By doing a ton of work that contracts the muscles (which shortens them) and never stretching (lengthening) them, your muscles will end up imbalanced. "It is uncomfortable and it takes time, so people don’t like to do it," Cyrelson says. It's true that stretching isn't exactly glamorous, and it probably won't give you the same rush that a run or HIIT class will. "We need to take an active role in maintaining and improving the length of our muscles so we can continue to enjoy our abilities without pain." As we age, our muscles get shorter and less elastic, she adds. "Tight muscles can cause undue strain on the neighboring joints during normal daily function, or they themselves can become injured," Sasha Cyrelson, DPT, clinical director at Professional Physical Therapy in Sicklerville, New Jersey, tells SELF. Incorporating some stretching exercises into your workout schedule can help you improve flexibility, reduce tightness, and, ultimately, make your workouts-whether we’re talking about strength or cardio routines-more efficient and safe. Stretching may not be the most exciting part of working out, but doing flexibility work is super important in a well-rounded fitness routine.
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