As we age, our muscles weaken and our level of flexibility decreases. Fortunately, there are ways to restore physical strength and flexibility. Here’s a good start.
People who are suffering from constant body pain are often told that they’re not getting enough exercise. However, the definition of what constitutes “enough exercise” is subjective and can vary, depending on each individual’s personal needs and goals. Exercising or working out daily can also cause muscle strain. This can undo the work you’ve started and put your exercise routine on pause to give time to your body to recover.
This can be a tad discouraging, especially when the body pain kicks in. But fret not. There are ways to start your own routine to achieve a level of flexibility and mobility to prevent muscle strain and relieve body pains.
Condition Your Body
Your body has to be in the right condition before you start with any form of exercise. This means your joints and muscles are in the right shape for low or high-impact activity. For example, if you’re suffering from back pain, stretching your back may seem like a good idea to relieve the pain, but it might actually be making the problem worse, especially when you’re not following the proper posture.
Following the correct posture and proper body form when doing stretching exercises is important. A proper body form must be followed when doing stretching exercises to restore flexibility and improve mobility. The proper form and posture should be observed at all times or result in muscle strain or injury. This will put your body in an unfit state to perform physical activities that may worsen the pain.
Other reasons that can affect a person’s body condition include injury from vehicular incidents or a sporting event. In women, postpartum back pain is very common. To remedy these pain problems, chiropractic treatment is an excellent form of treatment and ideal for those who want to treat body pains and lessen their pain medicine intake through their treatment.
A chiropractor is a licensed medical practitioner knowledgeable about the proper techniques of aligning and adjusting a person’s body. This puts your body in a well-conditioned state as your back and joints are in tip-top shape. Truth be told, you can immediately feel the effect of the treatment from the first visit; you can feel your blood flow and an overall relaxing effect as you get adjusted for the first time.
While chiropractic therapy is commonly sought by patients who suffer from chronic physical discomfort, it can also be done for health and wellness. When you are pain-free and feel comfortable, you can do more for your body and overall health.
Start with Achievable Goals
Do not underestimate the motivational power of a small win. Starting small to gain small wins will keep you going until you can achieve higher and bigger goals.
When you are mentally and emotionally satisfied with your progress, you will feel more encouraged to stay the course of your flexibility and mobility journey. Understanding that taking small sustainable steps is better than taking huge agonizing steps puts you in the right state of mind and will keep you going.
A five-minute workout is better than nothing at all if your goal is to strengthen your muscles and tone your physique. A simple stretching routine is much better than going through a longer one that might induce body pain and keep you off the course for a few days. Keep in mind: consistency is key.
What’s more, it’s easy to fit these quick routines into your daily schedule, which is why scaling your fitness progress is a more sustainable approach and completely doable. That said, it’s best to set small, attainable, and measurable goals to develop a sense of winning that will inspire and motivate you to move up.
Choose an Exercise Activity that Works for You
As you progress through your flexibility and mobility journey, you will find that your current routine is becoming easy. When this happens, it’s time to take the next step and add a new set of exercises to your routine. There are plenty of follow-along videos on YouTube and IG TV. There are fitness challenges meant for those who want to achieve a certain level of fitness.
Some options require the use of equipment, and others don’t. This makes it easy for anyone to accomplish the workout, whether they prefer to use equipment or not. Whatever your preference is, you will definitely find something right for your current fitness level.
These three things can increase your flexibility and improve your fitness level. Following proper stretching techniques and exercises and starting with a workout intensity level suitable for your current fitness level is essential in achieving success.