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Tips to become more flexible, even as an adult




Kestner

Kestner

As we age, we naturally lose some flexibility. You have probably noticed that with each passing decade our joints bend less smoothly, easily or as far as they once did.

People vary naturally in their flexibility, just as with other physical characteristics. Some people have been fairly inflexible throughout their lives, even when young. Others seem to be more able to maintain their flexibility into their later years.

Flexibility, often overlooked as an adult, can be critically important to our health. Below are some essential benefits of maintaining or improving flexibility into our adult years.

1. Less pain. Lets’ start with the obvious; people that are more flexible experience less pain. As you improve flexibility, it is likely that you will experience less pain in joints and muscles.

2. Lower risk of injury. As you lose flexibility, you may notice that this impairs your reaction time, making falls or other injuries more likely. Inflexible muscles also tend to be injured more easily. That’s one reason athletes have a habit of warming up and stretching before workouts or competitions.

 

 

3. Better balance. Simply starting a habit of doing the most basic flexibility exercises will naturally improve your balance. I’ll skip the neurological explanation for this and just tell you it really works.

4. Lower blood pressure. Studies have found that stretching for a half hour a day can be effective in lowering blood pressure. When thinking about stretching to increase flexibility, don’t overlook the effects it can have on blood vessels.

5. Better immune system. Flexibility activities also increase lymphatic flow which helps you have a healthier immune function. The lymphatic system in your body is the slow-moving system that circulates lymph fluid throughout your body. Your lymph glands are key components of your immune system.

6. Better posture. Want to immediately look and feel stronger, younger and healthier? Straighten up! Our posture is about more than how we sit in a chair. It is about overall body muscle tone. Improving flexibility allows you to naturally improve your posture.

7. Improved mood. It is nearly impossible to do flexibility exercises without feeling more positive afterward. Try it.

8. Normal daily activities are easier. Imagine reaching for that high shelf now versus after doing some flexibility activities. What about getting into the lower cabinets? Tying your shoes? Drying after a shower? Getting dressed? Improving flexibility will make EVERYTHING easier very quickly.

Now, that we are convinced there is significant value in maintaining and improving our flexibility as adults, how do we go about it? Key words here are slowly and gradually. This is an activity not to be rushed.

Also it is important to keep in mind your personal current status in terms of how limber you are and how healthy your joints are. Start from exactly where you are. Don’t compare yourself to anyone or even a younger version of yourself. Focus on improving from where you are right now in terms of flexibility and work to improve.

Before you begin to stretch or exercise, focus on your breathing. Breathing is often overlooked and taken for granted since we breathe automatically, but being intentional about breathing can help prepare the body for activity.

Breathe more slowly and deeply, pausing between breathing in and out. Within a few breaths you will likely have to pause breathing to take in a significantly deeper breath. That is one of the goals of the breathing exercise, to expand the volume of air being exchanged.

In recent years some new research has led to some key points that may be different from what many adults learned years ago about how to stretch properly. For one thing, avoid stretching to the point of pain. Instead, stretch to the point of comfortable resistance of the muscles and joints. Stretch gently until you can feel the stretch and maybe to the point of slight discomfort, but not pain.

Secondly, don’t bounce. Simply stretch to the point of comfortable resistance, and wait a few seconds. You will feel the muscles begin to relax naturally. Exerting mild stretch on the tissues is much more successful than overpowering the muscles and stretching them against their resistance. This takes time. Take it easy and don’t rush.

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