How to finish a workout well?

When we do physical activity, alone, in the gym or through the practice of a sport, we usually end up very tired. Sometimes even sore. However, we can take a little more time to recover and finish the workout well.

After physical exertion, the muscles are tired and they contract. That is why it is necessary to soften them and relax the body in order to return to our usual state.

Therein lies the importance of stretching the muscle groups involved. These exercises can last from 5 to 20 minutes., in accordance with previous practice. The ideal is to stretch gently, with controlled movements and never feel pain, but tension.

Stretch your muscles to calm down

Stretching exercises are essential for recovering muscles. When we exercise, the body produces lactic acidwhich provides the feeling of tiredness and muscle pain.

Stretching is the key to eliminating it and also generates relaxation. according to study conducted in 2018, there is a significant amount of evidence indicating the positive effects of stretching on range of motion and subsequent athletic performance, both for strength, power and endurance. sprintlike the jump.

The movements must be slow and the posture must be maintained for a few seconds. Thus, the muscle in question will release the tension built up during the exercise.

Below are some of the benefits of stretching after a workout:

• Increase flexibility: After the muscle tension provided by training, the muscles relax and return to their normal state. This allows us to make movements more easily and with a greater range.
• Eliminate lactic acid: it is what causes us fatigue and pain.
• Improve circulation: the heart rate accelerates due to physical effort, but recovers to normal rate during the stretching phase.
• Prevents injuries: A Work on warming up and stretching in muscle injury prevention suggests that some techniques and protocols have shown a positive result in injury prevention.
• Improve coordination: the stretch allows us greater mobility and synchronization.
• Reduces Stress: mood is improved and the mind is kept clear and connected to the body.

How to stretch to finish the workout well?

Stretching is just as important as the workout itself. Usually, once we finish our exercise routine, we want to get home quickly.

However, dedicating at least a few minutes to stretching will allow us to recover better. Also, keep in mind that omitting this part of your workout can lead to injuries, such as muscle contractures or broken fibers.

Chest stretch

The function of the pectoralis is adduction and internal rotation of the arm at the shoulder joint. One of the basic exercises to soften it is put pressure on the muscle by reaching back with one arm, place it on the side of a column and turn the body to the opposite side. Once the series is finished, we must repeat the activity with the other arm.

back stretch

The dorsal part is the key to providing balance to our body. The rear area has interference in all sportsalthough in some it has a greater role, such as swimming.

To soften the back area, one of the basic exercises is the following:

1. We stand up and place our hands against a wall.
2. Your arms should be straight and in line with your shoulders.
3. We need to bring the hip back and bend the trunk.
4. The legs must remain straight.
5. This position is maintained until the end of the exercise.

Hip flexor stretch

The psoas, iliacus, rectus femoris, quadriceps, and sartorius are the muscles involved. in hip flexion. A simple stretching exercise is to lie on your back, with your legs bent and your feet flat on the floor.

We must place the hands behind the body, between the lumbar spine and the floor, and then bring the knees towards the chest until we feel that we are about to squeeze the hands. In sports such as cycling, where the torso is always kept in a curvature that generates greater tension in the area, taking the time to stretch is essential to avoid injury.

Stretching of arms and shoulders

Tennis, rowing, swimming and boxing are some of the sports where we work our shoulders and arms into top shape. After practicing these and many other activities, we will have to stretch to reduce the pain and recover.

Here are some simple exercises to stretch your muscles and end your workout well:

• Biceps: standing, we must place our hand against a wall and keep our arm outstretched. Then we rotate our body in the opposite direction, without separating the arm from the wall, until we feel tension in the muscle. We hold for a few seconds and then repeat it with the other arm.
• Triceps: the most common exercise is to place a bent arm, elbow pointing up, behind the head. With the other hand we push the elbow to bring the arm down until we feel the tension in the triceps. Then we swap arms and repeat the activity.
• Shoulders: Standing with legs shoulder width apart, cross one arm in front of the body and take it by the elbow with the other hand. We must direct it in the opposite direction and downwards, as if we were carrying it to the side. After holding it for a few seconds, we perform the movement with the other arm and to the other side.

leg stretch

Legs are involved in almost all sports. From the most basic, such as walking or jogging, to those involving maximum physical effort. These are the ideal exercises for the lower limbs to finish the workout well:

• Quadriceps: Standing or lying on your side, take one foot and bend the knee to bring the heel towards the buttock. The torso should remain straight. Then we move on to the exercise with the other leg.
• adductors: We stand up, hands on hips and legs spread. We need to stretch one leg with the toe out, leaning the body on the other side and bending the supporting leg. Then we repeat the exercise to work the adductor of the other leg.
• Hamstrings: we sit down, with our legs together and stretched out. Then we bend the body forward and stretch our arms until we reach our toes.
• Twins: Standing up, we bend the body forward to take the tip of one of the feet and apply pressure to tense the muscle. The support leg can be slightly bent.

Take a few minutes and go home feeling like new!

Getting used to doing stretching exercises is the best way to finish the workout well. Most trainers agree on the importance of loosening up, relaxing, and returning to a calm state.

But if that doesn’t seem like enough, then remember that you also reduce the risk of injury. Take a few minutes, stretch your muscles well and go home feeling new!

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