DID YOU STRETCH when you got up this morning? Along with putting the kettle on and jumping in the shower, a morning stretch is a way of getting ourselves in gear before the day begins. But besides this brief, bleary-eyed burst of limbs, how often do you indulge?
Stretching 101
THIS FLEXING of a muscle or tendon helps improve its elasticity. It’s an instinct (think about animals when they wake up) that leaves us feeling flexible, invigorated and relaxed. Regular exercise shortens your muscles, which is why stretching is incorporated into any cool-down to bring muscles back to their resting length. If we don’t do it, we become stiff, lose our range of movement and may develop pain.