A few benefits of flexibility to help you find your ‘Why’.
In everything we do, it is so important to constantly return to our ‘Why’. Our ‘Why’ is what keeps us on track, and propels us towards our goals. This is of course true for flexibility training, too. While you’re probably already aware of some of the many benefits of flexibility training, it’s helpful to refresh ourselves so we can build up our ‘Why’.
Flexibility training is a powerful tool for many elements of our overall health and well-being. The first and most obvious being our athletic performance. No matter how strong or fast we are, if we have been ignoring our flexibility training, our motion will be hindered, especially in motions that require a high-level of flexibility, such as serving a tennis ball or jumping a hurdle. Even if we have powerful muscles, they need flexibility to reach their full-potential in these motions. A strong body without flexibility is like a speed boat in a frozen lake! Flexibility training allows your other pillar of movement to shine their brightest.
Secondly, (and our favorite to talk about it!) is the benefit flexibility training has on our daily lives. You don’t need to be a serious athlete to want to improve your flexibility. Just someone with a body who wants to find more ease in their daily motions. Often, it’s not until we begin to lose our flexibility that we realize how crucial it is for our everyday activities. From tying your shoes to hanging a picture frame, flexibility makes our day-to-day movements happen more easily. Who doesn’t want that?
Along the same line of thought, flexibility training can help keep us relaxed and calm throughout the everyday. It’s a way to establish some “you” time and really focus on your breath and the sensation in your body. This might look like 10 minutes of flexibility training in the morning to fill your own cup before the day begins, or a nice slow hour-long stretch at night to recuperate after a big day. Either way, flexibility training stands as a form of self-care for not only your body, but your mind too.
Speaking of recuperation, if you’ve ever had an injury, you know the difficulties that come along with it. It’s harder to do the things you love, and can cause serious pain, emotionally and physically. While injuries are often unavoidable, flexibility training can lessen our chances of a muscle injury. A lack of flexibility has the potential to increase the risk of muscle tears on either side of a joint. This is why flexibility training is like insurance, especially as we grow older.
Flexibility training is especially beneficial for caring for our bodies as we age. Oftentimes, it’s not our age, but our dwindling movement that prevents us from doing the things we love as we grow older. It’s cliche, but true— a body in motion, stays in motion. There is never a bad time to start flexibility training for your future self. Read more about that one here!
So, have you found a few more tips to bolster your why? Ready to begin, or begin again? Checkout the on-demand library here, and begin your flexibility training journey today.