Back Stretching Exercises - The Top 10 Things You Need To Know

Health & FitnessExercise & Meditation

  • Author Jonathan Nancy Rishworth
  • Published November 9, 2010
  • Word count 367
  1. Back stretching exercises increase suppleness in your back muscles, tendons, and ligaments and makes you able to twist and turn with much less risk of injury.

  2. For stretching exercises to be effective and to increase your back flexibility, you need to use the exercises in a way that pushes your back past it current range of motion. Over time with persistent effort and patience, they will increase your back's flexibility which will lead to greater freedom of movement, fewer backaches and reduce your risk of injury.

  3. Before starting these back stretches warm up thoroughly with light activity like walking around the block, raking some leaves, doing Tai Chi movements or perform your stretches at the end of an aerobic exercise or weight training exercise session. Unless your muscles are warm you won't make the best gains in flexibility and, you could hurt yourself.

  4. Stretching should be challenging but not painful. Listen to your body if your muscles are really shaking and if the pain persists or is really sharp, you should back off or stop.

  5. For best results move slowly and deliberately when performing the stretches.

  6. Hold the stretch at the point where you feel tight - but not overly uncomfortable.

  7. You will make the greatest gains in flexibility if you can perform back stretching exercises every single day.

  8. Stretches should primarily load muscles and fascia,(connective tissue) but not tendons, ligaments, or joints. The best way to follow this advice is not to stretch beyond a moderate level of discomfort

  9. Muscles must be able to completely relax in order to stretch effectively. For example a back stretch performed lying supine draped over an exercise ball will be more effective than a back stretch performed standing up.

  10. You can't force muscles to relax or stretch, but you can train them to move as you would like them to. Breathing deeply helps relax the muscles and reinforces the natural tendency to relax, which is your aim during back stretching exercises. So never hold your breath while stretching instead breathe deeply. Take a deep breath in and as you begin your stretch breath out.

Hope these ten tips help you in your efforts to gain greater and greater flexibility.

About Author:

Jonathan and Nancy Rishworth creators of [http://keys-to-living-a-healthy-lifestyle.com](http://keys-to-living-a-healthy-lifeforbidden.com) provide tips for living a healthy lifestyle. Add pain free years to your life with our illustrated back stretching exercises

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