Bewusst
dead inside
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2019
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I made a habit of stretching daily after I wake up and have found it really helpful, both physically and mentally. Being someone who hasn't worked out in years and is sitting a lot, my muscles had gotten very tight, resulting in poor posture and mobility, muscle pain and twitching, mostly in my legs, after pretty much any amount of regular physical activity that involves walking, standing or bending over.
I mainly focus on hip flexors, calves and hamstrings and try to hold each stretch for at least a minute. The most painful stretch (hamstrings) is also my favorite. I like the pain because once I release it, I get a nice endorphin buzz that helps me snap out of that typical grumpy morning mood. Stretching also improves blood flow and wakes me up in the morning.
Sometimes, I repeat some stretches later in the day, after smoking some pot. I found I can go much deeper than normal when I'm high because my pain tolerance goes up considerably. Stretching while high feels quite satisfying, but could lead to injury if you overdo it, as you won't feel pain as much and may be tempted to go deeper than you should. I don't recommend doing this at all, just sharing my personal experience.
If you're new to stretching or just not very flexible, my best advice is to take it really slow and gradually go deeper as you become more flexible. Hold each stretch for a minute minimum, at least until there's no more discomfort before you go deeper, to give your muscles and ligaments enough time to adjust. One inch at a time, we don't wanna pull a muscle. Consistency is key. Doing some cardio or even just going for a walk before stretching may reduce your risk of injury and warm up the muscles and ligaments. Speaking from personal experience, I strongly advise against stretching after resistance training/heavy lifting, because it can aggravate microtrauma and lead to muscle injury. Either stretch before lifting or stretch only the muscles you're not exercising at the time. Never stretch an injured muscle or tendon. Also, stretching is no substitute for "normal" physical activity, but it helps to maintain mobility and prevent injury.
Tl;dr: Daily stretching in the morning may help with mobility, reduce risk of injury and improve cardiovascular health, morning mood and alertness.
I mainly focus on hip flexors, calves and hamstrings and try to hold each stretch for at least a minute. The most painful stretch (hamstrings) is also my favorite. I like the pain because once I release it, I get a nice endorphin buzz that helps me snap out of that typical grumpy morning mood. Stretching also improves blood flow and wakes me up in the morning.
Sometimes, I repeat some stretches later in the day, after smoking some pot. I found I can go much deeper than normal when I'm high because my pain tolerance goes up considerably. Stretching while high feels quite satisfying, but could lead to injury if you overdo it, as you won't feel pain as much and may be tempted to go deeper than you should. I don't recommend doing this at all, just sharing my personal experience.
If you're new to stretching or just not very flexible, my best advice is to take it really slow and gradually go deeper as you become more flexible. Hold each stretch for a minute minimum, at least until there's no more discomfort before you go deeper, to give your muscles and ligaments enough time to adjust. One inch at a time, we don't wanna pull a muscle. Consistency is key. Doing some cardio or even just going for a walk before stretching may reduce your risk of injury and warm up the muscles and ligaments. Speaking from personal experience, I strongly advise against stretching after resistance training/heavy lifting, because it can aggravate microtrauma and lead to muscle injury. Either stretch before lifting or stretch only the muscles you're not exercising at the time. Never stretch an injured muscle or tendon. Also, stretching is no substitute for "normal" physical activity, but it helps to maintain mobility and prevent injury.
Tl;dr: Daily stretching in the morning may help with mobility, reduce risk of injury and improve cardiovascular health, morning mood and alertness.
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