Despite the comfort we have all seemingly found in picking up our phones and scrolling first thing in the morning, there are far better things we can do.
We could jump out of bed, open up our curtains, bathe in the morning rays and then…stretch!
That’s right, stretching first thing in the morning might help remove any tension or soreness from the previous night’s sleep. It also improves blood circulation and prepares your body for the day ahead.
While you may think a few quick morning stretches are enough, put your phone back down! Stretching before bedtime also comes with many advantages.
Stretching before you sleep helps relax your muscles and helps you avoid waking up in discomfort. It also releases the built-up stress from your day so you can catch up on those beauty Z’s.
But you may have heard some people apprehensive about stretching because you do it the wrong way, and you’re left with potential soreness from a muscle pull.
The Way Stretching Exercises Should Ideally Be Performed
Despite the many ways that you can stretch, the method used by David Goggins is much preferred by both medical experts and fitness gurus.
According to David Goggins’ stretching program, each person’s training should be adjusted to their circumstances and body.
Programs should challenge each of us to achieve our personal best health, going beyond what we believed was possible.
David emphasizes core stretches and strongly suggests adapting his practice to fit your needs.
David Goggin’s stretching routine stresses that most of your stretching should focus on opening the hip flexors and extending the psoas muscle.
The thighs are a big muscle that wraps around our spine, along with the psoas and hip flexors, and when they contract, everything tightens, both literally and emotionally.
David believes in doing simple stretches regularly and improving with time. Don’t try and force your body into doing something it’s telling you it can’t do through pain receptors.
Here are the stretches David Goggin recommends and personally practices every day, along with how you should do them!
Stretching The Hips And Psoas
The most time David Goggin recommends you devote is to psoas stretching is the holy grail of his stretching routines.
For the best stretch, he recommends standing on the floor with one knee down and one up, pulling your hips forward and keep your shoulders and chest angles backwards and twisting your knee downwards and your hips inward.
For hours, he famously alternates this same stretch. You can regularly modify this by reaching back to his knee down ankle to pull it up, providing additional stretching to his knee down quadricep.
Stretching The Shoulders
David recommends doorway stretches and suggests that everyone interlace their fingers behind their back and extend their arms as high as they can.
This single stretch also helps relieve tension in the chest and the biceps. Furthermore, performing the basic rear delt stretch while keeping your straight arm across the front of your body will not only relax your entire shoulder but will also keep your rotator cuffs moving.
As with the neck stretches, he holds each stretch until it gets painful, then rests and repeats. Remember not to push your body too far; once it starts to hurt more than you’re comfortable with, stop!
Stretching The Calves
David’s favorite stretch requires a little do-it-yourself home stretching equipment. At a 70-degree angle, lay a board against a wall or, more typically, the inside of a doorway.
Next, you will walk onto the board with his heel on the floor and his toes at the top of the board, making a deep complete calf stretch, using his arms to keep his body tight to the door frame.
Neck Stretches
You can stretch your neck by holding your head to each side for as long as you can until it gets uncomfortable. Stretch and hold from ear to shoulder, then chin to chest, and repeat.
Triceps Stretches
David frequently suggests using the basic arm behind the head tricep stretch.
When you hold this position, it can also help to relieve back pain. It would help if you tried holding until the discomfort is felt, then switching or relaxing.
Stretching The Hamstrings
Traditional sitting reaches with your chest up and back straight, hamstrings focused, and glutes engaged.
Yoga
David is a big fan of yoga, particularly Hot Yoga, and advises everyone to try it out at least once to feel its amazing benefits instantly.
He’s made it a regular part of his routine and urges everyone to give it a shot for their health and mental clarity.
Although it is not made up of any specific moves, this is exactly what makes it the best because you will have room to play around and switch it up once in a while
Why Do Stretching Exercises Increase Flexibility More Than Cardio Exercises
Many advantages come along with stretching, mainly your flexibility. Compared to other exercises, stretching does not put the same strain, making it safer and better to incorporate into our everyday lives.
Better Posture And Balance
Your posture is likely to improve if you focus on strengthening muscle flexibility. Working out your body assists you in maintaining appropriate alignment and addressing any imbalances that may exist. Furthermore, you may find it simpler to sit or stand in certain positions with a greater range of motion.
Extends Your Range Of Motion
You have more freedom of movement if you can move a joint over its whole range of motion. Stretching regularly might aid in the expansion of your range of motion.
Although proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, stretching, which involves extending a muscle to its limit, may be more beneficial for rapid benefits.
You’ll Be Less Likely To Get Hurt
If you have to make a quick motion, a flexible muscle is less likely to be harmed. Stretching can help you reduce the resistance on your body’s muscles during various activities by extending the range of motion in a certain joint.
Increased Power
As you grow more flexible, it is critical to enhancing your strength. This ensures that your muscles have the proper amount of tension to support you and your activities, helping you to become more physically fit.
Enhances Your Posture
Muscle imbalances are frequent and can contribute to bad posture. A combination of strengthening and stretching certain muscle groups can help alleviate musculoskeletal discomfort and promote appropriate alignment. This, in turn, may aid in the improvement of your posture.
