Regardless of our age, we all want to be flexible.
Flexibility is an essential component of good health and fitness, and it is especially important for the elderly. We don’t mean the kind of flexibility that you can do twine or bend like a pretzel.
We mean the kind of flexibility that doesn’t restrict your movements. Be able to move all joints fluently and move with ease in everyday life. All this without the feeling of painful twitches that come with tight muscles and joints with a limited range of motion.
You may be able to remember your earlier days when you could easily touch your toes, while today you may notice that not only are you not as flexible as you used to be, but tasks in your daily life are becoming increasingly difficult to perform, such as bending (or getting up) off the floor. Or maybe you’re just noticing that your joints aren’t opening up completely, i.e. they’re not functioning at full range of motion, as they used to.
It’s inevitable that our bodies will age. However, just like all components of fitness, regardless of our age and current physical capabilities, you CAN make BIG improvements. You can regain your flexibility at ANY age!
By improving your flexibility, you will improve the range of motion in each joint, and you will be able to move more easily. All these daily movements will seem much easier for you, and you will feel how you relieve the pain. Your posture will be improved, and you will also reduce the chances of injuring yourself in the future. On top of all these benefits, the tension of the body as well as stress will be reduced, resulting in more positive thinking and a more relaxed mind.
Here are a few things to keep in mind if you plan to do stretching exercises. Be sure to choose exercises that are appropriate for your health, health condition, fitness level, and goals. Before stretching, do some warm-up activities so that you are less likely to injure yourself.
- For example, walk for 10 minutes first.
- Flexibility exercises should focus on the whole body.
- Do stretching at least 2 to 3 days a week.
- Hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds.
- Try to stretch each muscle group 4 times. But remember, even 1 or 2 stretches are better than nothing.
- Stretching should be slow and smooth.
- Stretching may cause you slight discomfort, but you should not feel pain.
