Stretching Exercises That Are Effective and Easy

Many people fail to realize that part of the reason why they wake up tired and groggy and ineffective each day is because of something that is really quite easy to fix. Many people do not stretch often enough, or - worse still - they do not stretch at all! There is a widespread misconception that stretching is only necessary if you are about to exercise, or if you just finished exercising. But actually, it does not matter what you do in the course of a normal day; stretching is important for you regardless! When you stretch, it helps your body stay looser, it helps you breathe better, and it helps your body circulate blood more effectively; all in all, stretching makes you a whole lot healthier!

You might think that stretching will take up too much of your time, or that it is impossible for you to stretch throughout the day. But the truth is, you can do all your stretches in as little as ten or fifteen minutes per day, and many of these stretches are quite easy to do.

In order to give your entire upper body a good stretch that is easy to do no matter where you are, try doing this: first, stretch your arms straight back behind you at about shoulder height; then, while still stretching your arms back, lean forward (your legs should be just wider than shoulder-width apart) until your torso is parallel with the ground. This will significantly loosen up your arms, your chest, and your abdomen!

Leg stretches are somewhat more difficult to do at times, as you can not especially do most of them while wearing your work clothes! Lunges, toe touches, and butterflies are all excellent stretches for your legs, and if you cannot do them throughout the day, try doing them in the morning before you get dressed, or at night before you get into bed.

If you get in the habit of stretching just ten or fifteen minutes each day, you will find that your body and its health will begin to improve dramatically.