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Stretching at home. Stretching exercises. Quick stretching at home

19.10.2019

Stretching exercises are the main stage of preparation for further strength training. They help improve the general condition of the body, form beautiful body contours, and give it flexibility. Stretching for beginners is recommended to be done as gently as possible.

How to start stretching from scratch

The main thing in trying to make your body flexible, fit, beautiful, and physically healthy is not the desire to master the program faster, but to do everything step by step.

All classes must be conducted regularly. The best way to train is to do the exercises step by step.

This will help avoid severe sprains and injuries.

Stretching for beginners at home should begin with psychological and physical preparation. When choosing a specific complex, a beginner immediately thinks about how quickly he can achieve the desired results. In order not to deviate from the intended goal, it is important psychological readiness. Factors that influence the result are the following:

age (it’s more difficult for adults to do the splits, but children’s ligaments are more elastic);
genetic flexibility;
physical training;
accuracy of exercises;
warm-up intensity;
muscle coordination;
attitude, determination;
honesty with oneself (often the student does not want to see an objective picture or spares himself during classes).

To avoid injury, you need to start stretching with physical training. The following is recommended:

Choose a suitable complex. Video lessons with tips from famous trainers, as well as reviews, can help with this.
Jumping rope.
Joint gymnastics.

Rules

Stretching for beginners is available at home, but it is recommended to adhere to certain rules:

Be sure to do a warm-up to warm up your body and prepare your muscles.
Avoid sudden movements. All movements should be smooth and performed at a calm pace. This will help you feel the work of your whole body.
It is important to feel tension, overcoming, mild but not severe pain. Otherwise, the ligaments may be torn.
To prevent joints from losing mobility, regular exercise is important.
There is no need to expect much after two weeks. For example, warming up for the splits for beginners will lead to the desired result only after a couple of months.
When the muscles get used to the load, it is recommended to make the exercises more difficult.
Before starting training, it is important to consult a doctor to ensure there are no contraindications.
Stretching should not be done before a power load; it is only a preparatory stage.
Breathing during exercise should be deep and constant. You cannot hold it while doing exercises.
The sequence of exercises is: back, hips, chest and only then the rest of the muscle groups.
Quick stretching consists of performing several exercises for each muscle group.
For results, you need to stay in one position for 1-1.5 minutes. If you are not physically prepared, you need to start with 15 seconds. You can softly spring or remain motionless.
The optimal time for training is morning.

Warm-up before stretching should be carried out according to the instructions. The mode is like this:

Seven minutes of moderate jogging.
Starting position – sit on the floor with your legs apart.
Alternately do 15 inclinations to each toe.
Stay for 10 seconds near each leg, in the middle.
Continue to sit on the floor, back straight, legs together. Perform 20 inclines, holding the last one for 10 seconds.
Connect your feet and gently pull them towards you with your palms. Try not to bend your knees, but to reach your toes with your body.
Place one leg behind your body and leave the other straight. Stretch towards the straight line. Repeat the exercise on the other side.
Standing position. Swing your legs forward. Important: you need to do them sharply and keep your back straight.

Stretching exercises

There are several types of stretching exercises. They differ in duration, amplitude, and training time (before or after the main classes). Stretching happens:

Static. After stretching the muscles to the limit, the delay should be 20 seconds. 3-4 approaches are done. If pain is severe, stop doing the exercise. The look is popular among yogis and professional athletes.
Dynamic. Base – constant movement, for example, lunges with alternating legs and increasing amplitude and distance, swinging arms, running in place, raising on toes. Stretching alternates with strength exercises, performed before cardio training, promotes weight loss.
Passive. It is performed with a partner who helps to stretch, for example, lifts the other’s leg high and holds it.
Active. Classic stretching, which involves applying maximum effort.
Ballistic. Used by professionals. Consists of sharp, fast, springy movements, maximum amplitude.

For neck stretching

It is important to be careful, especially if you have no experience. With sudden movement there is high risk injure muscles.

Starting position: standing, or sitting. Execution technique: one hand along the body, the other gently pull the head down to the shoulder. Hold for as long as possible. Change hands, do it in the other direction. Repeat 2-3 times.
Stand straight. Place both palms on the back of your head. Pressing them, tilt your chin to your chest. It is important to feel the stretch in the back of your neck. Hold as much as possible. Repeat a couple of times. This exercise is a prevention of osteochondrosis cervical spine spine.

Shoulders

When performing these exercises, it is important to try to stretch the deltoid muscles of the shoulders as much as possible, depending on the area of the stretch:

The front of the shoulders. Performed while standing. Place your hands behind your back, close them, and pull your elbows in different directions. Pull your chest forward so that you feel the stretching of the front muscle bundles. Hold as much as possible, repeat 2-3 times.
Middle part of the shoulders. Performed while standing. Grab your opposite elbow with your hand. Press your shoulder towards you, pull it down. Change hands. Hold as much as possible, repeat 2-3 times.
Back of the shoulders. Performed while standing. With your right hand, grab your left hand from below, just above the elbow. Press it to the body, straighten it, lower your shoulder. Raise left hand up, helping with the right. Stretch so that you feel the tension in the posterior muscle bundles. Change hands. Hold as much as possible, repeat 2-3 times.

Press

Beautiful flat stomach- the dream of many people. Abdominal stretching will help deal with fat deposits in this area:

Abdominal muscles. Starting position: lying on your stomach, arms extended in front of you. Slowly raise your head and chest from the floor, gently arching your back. The tension should be felt in the press. Hold as much as possible, rest after each repetition, do 3-4 times.
Oblique abdominal muscles. Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Bend to the side, straightening your arm. It's important to reach out for it. Repeat 4-5 times, maximum duration.

Backs

Exercises in this area will help strengthen the spine and prevent back diseases:

Lie on your back, legs extended. Bend them at the knees and press them forcefully to your chest. Hold for at least 30 seconds, take the starting position. Repeat 3-4 times.
Get on all fours. Smoothly bend and round your back. Perform 6 sets of 3 seconds each.
Sit on the floor, legs apart, back straight. Slowly lower your head and press your chin to your collarbone. Slowly extend your arms forward to the limit. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.

Pectoral muscles

The main thing when performing such exercises is to have clearly fixed arms, straight or at an angle:

Stand between the doorway. Arms bent at an angle of 90 degrees, spread to the sides and fix, leaning on the platbands. Lean your body forward, stretch to the sides. Perform until the pectoral muscles are tense.
Stand up straight, stretch your arms back, clasp them together. Gently pull them up until they stop. Repeat a couple of times.

Legs

Find good support, lean on it with your right hand, keep your back straight. Bend your left knee, pull your toe towards the buttock of your right leg. Duration - no less than half a minute. Change legs, arms. Repeat 3-4 times.
Sit on a chair, cross your legs, press them tightly together. Slowly tilt your body forward, keep your back straight, and stretch your chest. Duration – 1 minute, 5 repetitions.

Cautions

arthritis;
heart disease;
osteoporosis;
thrombosis;
hypertension;
fractures;
hernias;
sprains, muscle damage;
postoperative recovery;
fever;
diseases of the spine (vertebral displacement, pinched nerves, scoliosis).

Video

Stretching at home plays a very important role in preventing muscle imbalances and related problems with correct posture. help avoid injury and add efficiency to regular training. However, it must be borne in mind that overly active stretching of muscles can cause injury. These exercises must be approached with caution. It is better to perform the complex with a moderate number of repetitions and every other day. At the same time, to get tangible results, you need to train regularly, without skipping classes.

Experts can best advise you on how to stretch your legs at home. But you can, based on the relevant literature, develop a set of exercises yourself.

At the very beginning of classes, you need to warm up well. Light jogging and walking briskly(about 10 minutes) not only train but also “warm” the body. Blood begins to circulate more intensely through the vessels, warming up the body and limbs. Without this preliminary preparation It will be difficult to perform exercises with the required amplitude. The best time to stretch at home is in the evening. It is at this time of day that the body perceives such a load more calmly and the muscles become more pliable.

Stretching at home is effective when a certain number of conditions are met:

The ability to control the amount of load on the muscles when performing each stretch;

Appeal special attention on the position of the head, lower back, shoulders and legs during exercises;

Regulate the load in accordance with the general state of health, since the human body feels differently every day.

It must be remembered that the correct one at home requires large quantity time and attention to your well-being. Here you should definitely listen to your feelings.

So, here are some exercises to make your body flexible.

Seated groin stretch. You need to sit on the floor, bring your feet together so that the soles of your feet look at each other, and clasp your palms around the connected soles. Gently bend forward, starting from the hips, until you feel a slight stretch in the groin. When bending over, you need to slightly tense your abdominal muscles and exhale. Remain in the gentle stretching position for up to 45 seconds, while breathing slowly and rhythmically. You need to try to ensure that the tilt comes from the hips, without straining the lower back by bending the neck and shoulders. The lower back must be kept straight and looking forward. The longer a person can hold the stretching position, the more effective the exercise will be. However, you need to remember that there should not be any feeling of discomfort.

Stretch the left lower back and hamstrings. Sit on the floor, right leg straight, left foot touching the inner surface of the right thigh. In this case, the knee of the right extended leg should be in a relaxed state. As you exhale, begin to slowly bend toward the foot of your extended leg from the hip joint until you feel a slight stretch. The chin should be kept slightly extended forward, the shoulders and arms should be relaxed. Hold this position for about 45 seconds, while breathing slowly and rhythmically. Do the same exercise on the other leg.

When performing this exercise, you need to make sure that the quadriceps muscle of the right thigh is relaxed, and you do not need to bend very low to the knee. However, it is necessary to control the position of the foot of the extended leg vertically, and the muscles of the ankle and toes should be in a relaxed state.

Seated quadriceps stretch. You need to sit on the floor, bend your right leg so that your heel touches the outside of your right thigh. In this case, the left leg is bent at the knee, and the left foot touches inside thighs of the right leg. The foot of the right leg must be stretched back and arched in the same direction. If you feel unpleasant pressure on your ankle in this position, you can move your leg a little to the side. Slowly lean straight back to a slight stretch. To maintain balance, you can rest your hands on the floor. Hold this position for up to 45 seconds and then do a similar exercise with the other leg. You should not lean too far, as this allows the knee to lift off the floor and then the main load goes to the knee, not the hip.

If you perform the entire set of exercises regularly and correctly, stretching at home will strengthen your muscles and ligaments, making them denser and more elastic.

Even if you don’t play sports professionally and don’t go to fitness, sooner or later the thought comes to you that your body needs additional physical activity, which will improve the well-being and flexibility of the body. Simple exercises can also help boost your self-confidence.

How to stretch correctly at home is of interest to many, because not everyone has the time and money to go to the gym to train with a professional trainer on exercise machines. We will talk about special complexes that will improve our health and prolong our lives and which can be done in a comfortable environment for you in this article. To give your body flexibility and tone your muscles, you need very little - your desire and 15-20 minutes of free time a day.

What are the benefits of stretching your body?

Physical exercise is very good for health - this is an axiom. Regular stretching helps the following changes in the human body:

Considering the number and importance of positive aspects, it is not strange that many people are interested in how to stretch correctly at home.

For whom are stretching exercises contraindicated?

Despite all the positive aspects that are achieved through regular stretching, there is a category of people for whom such physical activity is contraindicated. You should not stretch yourself at home if:

There is inflammation of the joints of the lower body.
There was a spinal or hip injury, as well as cracked leg bones.
You suffer from lower back pain.
You have high blood pressure, thrombosis or other vascular diseases.
On at the moment you have a cold or feel unwell for other reasons.

Important! Pregnancy is also a contraindication.

What should you remember when doing exercises?

If there are no contraindications for performing stretching exercises, then you should stick to a few important recommendations, which are aimed at preventing you from harming yourself. To stretch properly at home:

Warm up your muscles and ligaments before stretching exercises. Rub your body with your hands, do a set of squats, run in place or dance to rhythmic music. You can do leg swings. Warming up should take you 5-10 minutes.
When performing the exercises themselves, watch your breathing. Don't hold it, try to breathe evenly.
Don't overdo it while stretching. Consider the condition of your body and your readiness for stress. You won't do the splits in one day. This will take weeks, or even months. Make all movements smoothly, without jerking. You should only feel tension in the ligaments, not pain.

Important! If you injure your ligaments, the scar tissue will make them less flexible as they heal.

Start with light exercises and gradually increase the load.
Exercise regularly, preferably daily, without taking long breaks, otherwise you will not achieve results soon.

Important! When doing stretching exercises, focus on all muscle groups, not just focusing on your lower torso. Then your whole body will be in good shape and you will be cheerful all day.

How to stretch at home in the upper torso?

Even if your goal is to do the splits, still pay attention to the whole body and start your physical activity with exercises for the back, neck, arms and chest.

Important! Stretching exercises are also called “stretching” (from the English “stretch”, “stretch”).

Neck exercises

To help you avoid a stiff neck after a hard day at work, do these simple exercises to help you stretch properly.

Exercise No. 1

Make circular movements with your head clockwise and back 2-3 times.

Exercise #2:

As you lower one shoulder, tilt your head towards the other, and vice versa.
Do the exercise slowly.
With your ear pressed to your shoulder, hold for 5 seconds and return to the starting position.

Exercise #3:

Place your fingers together and extend your arms in front of you.
Now tilt your head forward and tuck your chin to your chest.
Relax your shoulders and stretch your arms forward as much as possible.

Exercises for arms and shoulders

Your shoulders and arms also require your attention, as they bear a lot of stress from the day's events. To stretch correctly at home in this part of your body, the following exercises are suitable.

Exercise #1:

Interlock your fingers and extend your arms forward to shoulder level.
Now turn your palms so that they look up and forward.

Exercise #2:

Interlock your fingers with your arms outstretched above your head.
Now slowly turn your palms up, then down.

Exercise #3:

Take the towel by the ends and hold it at arm's length.
Place your arms over your head and behind your back.
Do not twist your arms or bend them at the elbows.
To increase the load, reduce the distance between your hands.
You can fixate the movement for 5-10 seconds exactly in the place where you feel the maximum tension.

Exercise #4:

Holding the ends of the towel, raise your arms straight above your head.
Now move your left arm back and down, bending it parallel right hand at the elbow at a right angle.
Next, straighten your right arm and lower it to the same level as your left.
At the same time, lower your arms down.
Repeat the movement in the other direction.

Exercises for the lower back and spine

The spine is the backbone of our body, so it needs special attention. attentive attitude to stretch correctly at home and not damage anything.

Exercise #1:

Stand up and place your hands on your waist.
Pull your elbows back as far as possible and bend over.
Hold for 5-10 seconds. Breathe evenly.

Exercise #2:

Standing straight and placing your hands on your waist, twist your torso, alternately left and right.

Exercise #3:

Sit on your knees.
Extend your arms forward and place them on the floor.
Arch your back as if trying to round your spine.

Exercise #4:

Exercise #5:

Place your right hand behind your back from above, and your left hand from below.
Interlace your fingers behind your back and hold yourself in this position for 5-10 seconds.

Exercise #6:

Place your palms together as if you were praying, but behind your back.
Now raise your arms to chest level.
Stay in this position for a few seconds.

Exercise #7:

Stand straight and place your feet shoulder-width apart.
Lean forward, trying to place your palms on the floor.

Exercise #8:

Sit on the floor.
Place your legs straight and together.
Now lean your body forward, trying to touch your knees with your forehead.

Exercise #9:

Sit on a chair.
Without lifting your feet off the floor, turn back.
Grab the back of the chair and hold in this position for 5-10 seconds.
Now turn the other way.
Repeat 5 times on each side.

A set of exercises for stretching the legs

Before you try to do the splits, you need to do a series of exercises to gradually stretch your legs.

Important! It should be remembered that such exercises must be done smoothly, avoiding jerking and severe pain. This is the only way you can stretch correctly.

Exercise #1:

Exercise #2:

Lie down on the floor.
Bend your right leg and pull your knee toward your chest as much as possible.
Freeze for a few seconds.
Change your leg.
Then bring both legs up and try to touch your knees to your forehead.

Exercise #3:

Take a chair and place your straight leg on the back.
Bend forward as far as possible, keeping your back straight.
In the farthest position, hold for 5-10 seconds.

Exercise #4:

Stand by a chair and grab it with your right hand.
With your left hand, grab your left ankle and lift your leg as high as possible.
Hold in the top position for 5 seconds.
Switch legs and repeat.

Exercise #5:

Stand up straight.
Lunge forward with one leg as far as possible, while the other leg should remain straight behind you.
Spring in this position first on one leg, then on the other.

Exercise #6:

Sit down and pull your heels as close to you as possible, closer to your perineum. This is called the “frog” pose.
Place your elbows on the inside of your knees and press until you feel strong tension or until your torso rests on your feet.

Exercise #7:

Sit on the floor.
Place one leg straight forward, and bend the other and rest your foot on inner surface hips.
Lean towards your straight leg as deeply as possible.
Hold for a few seconds at the maximum tilt phase.
Switch legs and repeat the exercise.

We sit on the splits correctly. A set of exercises for beginners

Once you have achieved noticeable success in the previous exercises, they are already easy and relaxed for you every day, you can think about how to stretch correctly at home to do the splits.

Longitudinal twine

This is a pretty impressive gymnastic skill. It is unlikely that it will be possible to achieve it in 1-2 weeks. You need to set a goal and approach it every day. To do this:

After you have completed several exercises to stretch your legs, you can start doing the splits.

Method number 1:

Kneel down and extend your right leg forward, keeping it straight.
Gradually, under the weight of your body, gently lower yourself down without jerking.
Place your palms on the floor and keep your balance.
Move your leg forward until you feel a stretch in your groin.
Stay in this position for 10-15 seconds.
The back should be straight.

Important! Do not try to sit lower, overcoming the pain. If you tear your ligaments, it will delay your goal indefinitely.

Take the starting position and change your leg.
Every day, lower yourself lower and lower until your legs are completely flat on the floor.

Method No. 2

You can start a little differently:

Extend your straight left leg completely from behind, with your knee touching the floor.
Tilt your body forward.
Place your hands on the floor for balance.
The right leg is first bent at the knee at a right angle, and then you begin to move it slowly forward until the groin is tense. The leg rests on the heel.
Stop and freeze in this pose for 10-20 seconds.
Don't hold your breath.
Over time, lower your pelvis as low as possible until you sit completely on the floor.
Do similar steps for the second leg.

Important! Even if you have reached desired result, don’t stop practicing, otherwise you will lose this skill and your efforts will be in vain.

Cross twine

This type of twine is considered more difficult to perform. It represents the legs completely spread to the sides from a sitting position.

Important! As with the longitudinal split, before attempting the cross split, you need to warm up your muscles and do a set of exercises to stretch your legs.

At first you can exercise every other day, and then, when your body gets used to the stress, every day. You need to be extremely patient and approach this philosophically so as not to quickly “burn out” with the idea.

Method number 1:

Sit on the floor.
Spread your legs as wide as possible and place your hands on the floor.
Bend your torso as low as possible, holding the lowest position for 10-15 seconds.
Each time the slope should be deeper.
When the ligaments have stretched a little, you can proceed to the transverse twine itself.

Method number 2:

Stand up straight.
Place your feet parallel to each other.
Next, leaning on the entire surface of the foot, spread your legs to the sides as far as possible until you feel comfortable.

Important! Painful sensations when this exercise unacceptable. In extreme cases, only mild discomfort is possible.

Each time, try to sit as low as possible until your crotch reaches the floor.
When you sit on the cross split, your groin and hips should lie completely on the floor, your back should be straight, and your toes should point up.
Don't forget to breathe evenly.

Important! If you have managed to master the cross split, do not forget to do this exercise periodically, otherwise you will gradually lose flexibility.

What to do if pain occurs after exercise?

Pain may occur if you overdo it when stretching and damage the ligaments. In such situations, you should adhere to the following algorithm of actions:

If you approach the issue of stretching your body muscles seriously and correctly, the results will be noticeable within a few days. The set of exercises selected in the article will help not only strengthen and tone the muscles, do the splits and make the body more flexible, but will also increase your weight exponentially every day. good mood and cheerfulness.

How to stretch?

Stretching or stretching is a very popular exercise that has a beneficial effect on various groups muscles. But before you start stretching, you need to learn about the rules of a standard warm-up.

Warm up for muscles

Before performing the exercises, it is necessary to thoroughly warm up the muscles. This will protect you from sprains.

Exercises to include in your warm-up:

Many people want to get a great stretch after the first class. But you won’t be able to do stretching quickly, or master the exercise technique for it. In order to get long-term and high-quality results, you need to stretch gradually, slowly, slowly and smoothly. If you overdo it on the first day, you can get a sprain.

Leg stretching

Let's look at how to stretch your legs. This will not only help make your muscles more flexible, but will also visually transform your legs and make them slimmer.

First exercise

Second exercise

Your legs should be spread as wide as your capabilities allow, but so as not to feel pain. Hands should be crossed over the chest.
Next, you should slowly bend forward. Your goal is to touch the floor with your elbows. You should do several approaches 10-12 times. Over time, you will spread your legs wider and wider, and your elbows will drop lower and lower.

Third exercise - “butterfly”

You can also watch videos on the Internet on how to stretch. With a clear example, everything will become much clearer and understandable.

Stretching the chest muscles

The best way to stretch the chest is with regular push-ups. However, they must be performed so that the legs and torso are in different planes.

Neck muscle stretch

To perform neck stretching exercises, you should know that this area is divided into two triangles - anterior and posterior. Exercises to stretch both zones to the maximum simple:

Place your hands in a lock at the back of your head and begin to press with your hands, and try to counteract the pressure with your head.
Tilt your head back (not as much as possible). Bring your hands together again, but this time on your forehead. Do the same steps as in the first point.

Perform the exercise 3 sets per zone for 30 seconds.

Good day to all beginners and those actively continuing! Today we will get acquainted with the phenomenon of stretching and stretching exercises. After reading the article, you will learn how muscle stretching is useful, what mistakes are made when performing them, and most importantly, how to properly relax your muscles.

So everyone clung to blue screens, we begin.

Stretching exercises: what, why and why

According to statistics, most people who visit gyms/fitness rooms do it unconsciously. Those. they come in, download their daily training program into their brains, and complete it on autopilot. Due to the fact that the main scourge modern society- a total lack of time, then usually no time is given at all for various preludes in the form of cool-downs and muscle stretching. And really, why waste your precious time on some kind of ancillary exercises - stretching exercises, because this will definitely not make your muscles grow, and everyone knows this. This philosophy is typical for most exercisers and fitness ladies. Moreover, I constantly encounter it in my rocking chair. Whether this is correct, and what place the “utility room” should occupy, we will discuss further.

If you have ever watched professional bodybuilders training (at least through youtube), then you probably noticed that they pay a lot of attention to the correct “rolling in” to the training process. That is, they perform various pulling exercises that, it would seem, have nothing in common with bodybuilding. So why does this happen? Maybe they are pros Do they know some secret, a secret? More likely yes than no.

So, stretching is a set of specialized exercises aimed at developing muscle flexibility and joint mobility.

The main types of stretching are:

static – stretching a muscle at a certain point and holding it in that position;
PNF stretching - you stretch and contract the muscles;
passive - the partner helps (participates) in stretching;
active – stretching without assistance;
ballistic - you use bouncing to force the muscles into deeper tension;
dynamic - you stretch the muscles in a controlled movement at increasing speed.

Note:
At first, use only static stretching.

Stretching Exercises: Key Benefits

The main benefits of muscle stretching include:

increased flexibility, muscle strength and endurance, joint mobility, range of motion, sense of body control;
increasing circulation by sending oxygen and blood to the muscles;
build-up muscle mass and strength by stretching the fascia (connective tissue covering muscle, tendon, nerve and bone).
reduction of injuries (accelerating their healing) And ,
relieving muscle and joint tension (clamps), relaxing muscles;
blood flow helps flush out waste products and set the muscle up for a new approach;
makes performing strenuous activities easier by conditioning your muscles.

Note:
Mild stretching causes a slight increase in the temperature of the muscle tissue, which in turn increases the threshold for fiber rupture. The function of energy-generating enzymes also improves, which are very important during training, because they give the human body more energy to perform exercises.

As you can see, stretching provides many benefits, both short and long term. Intermediate conclusion: stretching exercises (done properly) are the most in an efficient way to completely connect your mind and body (establish neuromuscular connection), and therefore must be included in the .

Stretching exercises: theory

Now let's look at the main calculations regarding stretching.

No. 1. Stretching muscles does not release growth hormone

No, it does not relate to the activity that triggers synthesis, but it prepares the entire body well for such release exercises.

No. 2. Stretching helps combat hardening of the arteries

Scientific research has shown that long-term stretching (in the form of yoga) with moderate aerobic exercise and diet control can lower cholesterol and significantly reverse hardening of the arteries in adults. (to 20% regression) if they have a similar disease.

No. 3. New research and new rules

Many trainers say that there is no such thing as too much stretching. However, the results of recent studies show that athletes of active sports (football, basketball, etc.) immediately before the game they should not perform lengthy stretching procedures, because this temporarily slows muscle activation. Prolonged stretching (near 20 minutes) reduces strength for up to one hour after a sprain and slightly reduces muscle activation.

Now let's delve a little deeper into the science and understand how stretching affects muscle growth?

Undoubtedly, professional bodybuilders know many secrets in building impressive volumes, and one of them is stretching. It plays an important role in the formation of muscle mass and here's why.

Every muscle in your body is encased in a special sack of tough connective tissue known as fascia. It is important for keeping the muscle in place.

Not many people know, but fascia can inhibit muscle growth. Just imagine the situation - you are actively working in the gym, you eat a lot, your muscles want to grow, but they do not have this opportunity, something is holding them back. And this something is tough fascia that does not allow the muscle to expand. This phenomenon can be compared to squeezing a large chest pillow into a small pillowcase.

Conclusion: Muscle size will not change no matter how well you train or eat, because... The connective tissue around your muscles is tightly compressed.

The best example of this phenomenon is the calf muscles. The lower leg is simply riddled with fascia, thanks to the enormous amount of walking work and heavy lifting duties. It is because of the “clogging” of the fascia that many athletes are unable to develop impressive calves. The solution to this situation is stretching exercises.

In the process of stretching (under certain conditions) You can stretch the fascia and give the muscles more room to grow. Now I will reveal one of the main secrets of bodybuilders - the key to effective stretching of the fascia is. The best time to stretch is when your muscles are as engorged as possible. During extreme pumping, the muscles put pressure on the fascia (from the inside, as if pushing it apart). At this time, you seriously increase the pressure on the fascia, which can lead to its expansion.

Note (secret secret):
One of the main reasons that Arnold Schwarzenegger had incredibly developed chest was that he finished his workout with dumbbell flyes - an exercise that emphasizes the stretched position of the pectoral muscles. He bombed his chest in pump mode (beat her to capacity with blood), and then lay down on a horizontal bench and did fly-ups, keeping the stretch in the lower phase. This allowed him to acquire XXXL size breasts :).

Fascial stretching is slightly different from the usual one, but it is this one (the first one) that gives the most impressive results. When you stretch the fascia, you should feel a powerful pulling pain and pressure - this is the muscle working against the fascia. Make sure you don't stretch in a way that causes the muscle to tear or cause injury.

You will quickly learn to feel the difference between a good and a bad stretch. The main rule here is stable stretching, not feeling. acute pain. Hold each stretch for at least 20 to 30 seconds This will give you time to “touch” the fascia in the area.

Note:
Remember, if the muscles are not “pumped,” then stretching will proceed easily and calmly, otherwise stretching will be quite difficult.

Let's sum up this whole crap part: one set of stretches after each set, what are you doing for the muscle group, in addition to obvious advantages in developing flexibility, can have an incredible effect on the size of your muscles and their future ability to grow.

Well, it's time to move on to the practical part, namely...

How to properly stretch muscles: the best stretching exercises

I would like to start this subchapter with a visual component that clearly demonstrates the phenomenon of muscle stretching. Compare two images that show the same muscle group, the biceps brachii.

As you can see, the first one is much shorter and slightly overhanging, the second one has a stretched, long biceps. It turns out that the longer it is, the more space there is for growth, so it can grow more powerful (higher, more voluminous).

Not many people know how to properly stretch muscles, and all this is due to ignorance of basic postulates and recommendations, which include:

warming up (increase in body temperature) before anaerobic training and stretching is a basic rule;
It is necessary to stretch all major muscle groups (especially those that will be worked on during training) systematically moving from one to another;
Stretching should be done after warm-up and after training, and if you work in the pumping style, then after each set;
studies have shown that best time tensile retention is a period of 30 seconds;
You must approach the extended position slowly and carefully, without sudden movements;
breathing when stretching should be slow and deep;
only after 4-6 weeks from the moment you start stretching, your body will agree to increase flexibility;
3-5 minutes of stretching after a workout will allow you to “wash” the floors of the remaining lactic acid from the muscles and return them to normal mode for everyday activities.

As examples of stretching exercises, we will consider two types of stretching: active with weights and static. Let's start in order.

No. 1. Active stretching with weights

It consists in the fact that you carry out your usual training program, but with a small “BUT” - the muscles work only in a fully stretched position. The following visual will serve as a good example:

Dumbbell flyes on an inclined (upward angle) bench to stretch the chest muscles.

Pullover with dumbbell for lats.

Seated barbell curls (Scott bench) for biceps.

French press for triceps.

Shrugs for shoulders and trapezius.

For the hamstrings and lower back.

Lunges for quadriceps.

Calf raises for calf muscles.

Each of these exercises will allow you to lower the weight all the way down and really feel a deep stretch in the target muscles with each repetition. The effect of stretching can be increased by delaying (for a few seconds) in the bottom position.

Note:
Human muscles can stretch up to 150% its length.

Next in line is...

No. 2. Static stretch

A classic of the genre, familiar to most people who visit gyms/fitness rooms. You do static stretching to the point of discomfort, and then maintain the stretching state for 30 seconds Once your body gets used to this procedure, it will increase its pain threshold, allowing you to stretch deeper and longer.

Here are some exercises you can do during your workout: (before/after/during):

Big and small pectoral muscles(rotation of the body, failure of m / u supports, stretching with a wall bars).

Back muscles (hanging on the bar, tilting the body to the side while holding the support, praying on the knees).

Muscles of the neck and shoulders (side bends, horizontal adduction, lock behind the back).

Arm muscles: biceps and triceps (vertical stretch, hanging on the bar with a supinated grip, hyperextension of the arm behind the head).

Arm muscles: forearms and hands (frontal extension of the fingers, bending the fingers from the lock position, bending the fingers of the other hand).

Leg muscle group: quadriceps (knee flexion, hip flexion with knee support) and hamstrings (hip extension with knee extended).

Muscle group of the leg: calf muscles (stretching hands to legs while sitting, stretching with emphasis on the heel).

(lying hip rotation, standing hip adduction, hip flexion and internal rotation).

(hip abduction sitting/on knees, with emphasis on knees).

Abdominal muscles: rectus/oblique (lying position on the stomach with emphasis on the elbows, side slope with support for support, bridge, bending to the side while holding the body bar).

Actually, these are all stretching exercises , which I would like to talk about, and which are enough for you to do stretches properly :).

Afterword

Many people underestimate stretching and rarely use it in their training program. However, you, my dear readers, now know what its strength is, and why this tool should be in the arsenal of people who want to build good muscle volume.

That's all, I'm glad that you spent this time usefully and moved one more step towards your goal - the sculpted body of your dreams!

PS. Don't forget about feedback through comments, I'm always glad to hear from you.

P.P.S. Did the project help? Then leave a link to it as your status social network- plus 100 points towards karma, guaranteed.

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.