Even though most workouts and exercise routines are great for our fitness and stamina, not many help our body stay as supple and flexible as it should. So, it’s important that any fitness fanatics also take the time to work on their body’s flexibility as it can really help the body’s circulation and can also prevent some injuries while you are working out.
Here are some of the best workouts for improving your overall flexibility.
Here are some of the best workouts for improving your overall flexibility.
Yoga
Yoga is one of the best workouts for improving your flexibility as it can give your muscles and joints a greater range of motion. This is a great way for cyclists and runners to stay supple and flexible as it can help to remove the buildup of lactic acid that often occurs during intense cardio exercise. Once you've flushed out all of the lactic acid of your muscles, you will find that your muscle contraction improves and your muscles feel a lot less tired during cardio workouts.
Pilates
Pilates and Yoga are remarkably similar, but each has their own set of benefits. You will find that Pilates uses a lot more moves that promote resistance to help your body build strength and flexibility. Rather than focusing on stretching, like Yoga does, Pilates tries to figure out why some of your muscles aren’t as flexible as they should be and targets them directly. Generally speaking, most people find that Pilates is a lot more intense than Yoga.
Tai Chi
Another great workout for improving your flexibility is Tai Chi. Lots of towns and cities now have classes but you can also use online courses, such as Tai Chi Productions, to practice at home. You will find that, after a while, your upper and lower body flexibility will greatly improve and your overall balance will also become a lot better too.
Dance Classes
Do all of the above workouts sound a bit too slow for you? Don’t worry; signing up to your local dance class will also help you improve your flexibility, and will also be a lot quicker pace. The best thing is, it really doesn’t matter what kind of dancing you do - they are all great for flexibility, whether you are practicing ballet or shaking your body in a Zumba class! That’s because you will be repeatedly using your legs and arms in a wide range of movements, which can help with your agility.
Stretching
Don’t have much time to add another workout class to your weekly schedule? Don’t panic - you just need to make sure that you are stretching plenty before and after your regular workouts. It’s important that you do some dynamic stretches before your workout. These are ones which require you to move a lot to stretch. These will warm up your muscles and can help prevent any injuries while you are exercising.
Just because you aren’t very flexible right now doesn’t mean that you have to stay that way forever. There are lots of ways you can improve - it just takes time!
Just because you aren’t very flexible right now doesn’t mean that you have to stay that way forever. There are lots of ways you can improve - it just takes time!