My road back to fitness is stretching out...

I've always been aware of that great feeling you get when you wake up in the morning swing yourself out of bed and stretch yourself right out. It quite simply feels great. What I hadn't considered was how much stretching would become part of my weekly exercise regime. In fact, it has become probably the most important and at times the most needed and satisfying part of that regime.

I've known the importance of stretching before and after sporting activity since my youth, although surprisingly it was not taught as part of sports activity at school. I do some light stretching as part of my warm up before boot camp or running. Then there is the all important stretching at the end. On top of that I now find myself doing stretch workouts every day during the day. As I've chronicled in these articles 'My road back to fitness...' I have had a number of injuries and problems to overcome, and all of these issues have been cured by stretches and resistance band work. I have to say I am constantly amazed at how various pains and niggles just vanish with a few sessions of stretching and the sheer relief it can bring. The article linked below describes a set of stretches, all of which I do in different combinations, focussing more on some depending on any issue I'm trying to sort out. My favourite of the lot is number six in this list, the Figure 4 stretch, which you can do in a variety of ways , including, from a standing position. Whatever sport you are doing, having a routine for stretching, both before and after activity and for period between sport, is massively important. So go get to it.

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