Stretching Techniques and Tips
Stretching has a low risk of injury and stretching regularly can reduce the likelihood of injuries. The key to preventing injury is to use safe techniques. The wedding workout focuses on static stretching because it's the safest method of stretching, is easy to do, and is effective. For static stretching, move gently and deliberately through your natural range of motion. Ease off if you feel any joint strain. You should feel the stretch in the muscles, not the joints. Hold each stretch to a point of moderate tension — with no pain — in the target muscle. Hold each stretch fifteen to thirty seconds.
Maintaining your mental flexibility is a must when it comes to coping. The more you learn to let things roll off your back, the more you'll ultimately enjoy the planning process and your big day. No wedding goes off without at least a few little hitches. And often, these things are what make weddings memorable!
Your breathing pattern is also important to enhancing your stretch. As you inhale, increase the feeling of lengthening the muscle; when you exhale, hold or deepen the stretch as you feel muscular tension releasing. Try to lengthen your breathing rhythm. For example, inhale for up to four to five seconds and exhale for up to five or six seconds or longer. This rate of breathing — a ten-second breath cycle — stimulates the relaxation response. The result is that your heart rate and blood pressure become lower and the levels of stress hormones flowing in your blood stream decline. To stimulate the relaxation response, hold each stretch for a minimum of three deep breath cycles.
Avoid forced or rapid movements. Do not bounce when you stretch. Repeated bouncing, especially of cold muscles, increases the risk of tearing your muscles. Choose slow, static holds to get the best results. As you stretch, release tension from other parts of your body, such as your shoulders, jaw, chest, and neck.
Props can be useful to help stretch tight muscles and to increase comfort. Use a stretch strap or towel to help you stretch tight muscles in your upper or lower body. For upper body stretches, you can hold a strap behind your back with one end in each hand to stretch the chest and shoulders. For lower body stretches, you can place the center of a strap underneath the ball of your foot and hold one end in each hand. When using a strap, be sure to avoid trying to force any stretch. Still work within your natural range of motion and hold all stretches to the point of moderate tension.
