Getting some good exercise

I love watching my dog, Sheila take her afternoon stretch! She closes her eyes, stretches her paws straight out in front of her, and pushes her hips up as far as she can. There is no doubt that she enjoys this activity immensely. It seems to be a natural movement for cats and dogs.

We humans are also very taken with stretching! I am sure that most of us have probably experienced that wonderful feeling of having a nice long stretch before getting out of bed in the morning, or stretching our legs after a long drive in a cramped car. Stretching is actually very important to good posture and a strong healthy body.

Stretching is one of the things I have read about practicing Yoga. When you are doing these slow, deliberate postures, you would feel some muscles getting stretched while others are working quite hard. I always wondered how it would feel relaxed after a yoga class. I attribute that to the intense stretching. I have a friend who is a dancer, and she says me that the first half of her rehearsal sessions often focus primarily on stretching to limber up the body and protect it from muscle strain and injuries. Stretching is undoubtedly important to keeping fit.

For those of us who are more physically active, stretching is probably something we do before and/or after exercise. However, you may be surprised to learn that it's good to take time out during the middle of an exercise routine to do some stretching. It helps release tension in the muscles, making your workout more efficient and effective.

For those who are less active or in fragile health or even wheelchair-bound, stretching is extremely important. It helps to increase circulation and improve balance and equilibrium. And stretching under the guidance of a qualified trainer or physical therapist can be a tremendous help to those who are elderly or bed-bound by helping to correct poor posture and hunched shoulders and to alleviate the overstretching of back muscles.

I try to stretch daily in order to maintain good posture. The next time you get out for some exercise, be sure to do some good stretches before, during, and after your workout. My guess is that you'll feel more relaxed overall and will be protecting your body at the same time.