Just Do It—Right!
While there seems to be more awareness of the benefits of flexible muscle it is crucial to remember that proper alignment is key for optimal benefits.
Be aware of your Posture while Stretching
Posture is one of the most neglected aspects of stretching. It is important to be aware of how crucial it can be to the overall benefits of your stretching. Bad posture and incorrect technique can cause imbalances in the muscles that can lead to injury. In many instances a major muscle group can be made up of a number of different muscles. If your posture is sloppy or incorrect your stretching may put more emphasis on one particular muscle in that muscle group, thus causing an imbalance that would lead to injury. For example, when stretching the hamstrings (the muscles at the back of the legs) it is imperative that you keep both feet pointing straight up. If your feet fall to the side this will put undue stress on one particular part of the hamstrings, which will result in a muscle imbalance.
Stretching Tips are brought to you by Brad Walker. Brad is a leading stretching and sports injury consultant with over 15 years experience in the health and fitness industry. Each tip is pulled directly from Brad's best seller, The Stretching Handbook. For more information, visit TheStretchingHandbook online.