Flexibility: How to Achieve a Flexible Body
Understanding the Importance of Flexibility and How to Improve It
Flexibility
When you first go to the gym, you may feel embarrassed and dissatisfied with yourself because you’ll see others enjoying the fitness and flexibility you lack. However, what we often fail to realize is that one cannot gain body flexibility overnight; it requires daily practice of flexibility exercises. With a little patience and time, you will achieve the results you desire, and you’ll be amazed at how satisfied you will feel with yourself. There are certain steps and practices you should follow to gain the desired flexibility, but first, let’s identify the reasons behind the body’s lack of flexibility.
Reasons for Lack of Flexibility
1. Lack of daily activity and insufficient movement. 2. Sleeping for long hours. 3. Consuming unhealthy foods. 4. Following unhealthy habits, such as using the elevator instead of the stairs and driving short distances instead of walking.
How to Achieve a Flexible Body
Caring for your body internally: Taking good care of your body includes paying attention to what you eat and ensuring that you get adequate nutrition. Always aim to eat foods with green leaves due to their important nutrients, and they can be consumed during a diet. Every morning, make sure to have a complete and healthy breakfast. Since your body contains a large percentage of liquids, you should drink a sufficient amount of water.
Caring for Joints and Muscles
It is essential to keep them flexible. When practicing sports, you should start with light stretching exercises, then increase the intensity, and finally return to stretching exercises. When doing stretching exercises, one should know how to perform them correctly; otherwise, you might end up injuring yourself. You should stretch both your right and left sides at the same time. For example, when stretching your right arm, you should also stretch your left arm.
Think Positively When Achieving Flexibility
Motivate yourself by saying things like, “It will take a long time, but I will achieve my goal.” Remember, you always need to be patient.
Flexibility Exercises
1. Shoulder Stretch: Extend each arm horizontally and press for the required stretch without feeling pain, for five to ten minutes for each arm. 2. Back Stretch: Always perform back exercises with extreme caution. Do these exercises gently and slowly to avoid any injuries. Lie on the ground, extend your legs forward, and then bend forward trying to touch your feet. 3. Backward Bend: Try bending backward without forcing it from the first attempt. 4. Gentle Twisting: Lie on your stomach, and then try to lift yourself only from the upper part of the body while twisting your back.
