Doing stretches after walking will help you reap the full benefits of your workout. This video will show you a few simple post-walk stretches to help your body cool down.
Many folks set out with good intentions on their daily walk, but afterward neglect to lengthen back out the muscles they just worked out. This can leave them feeling stiff and sore a few hours later, defeating the goal of feeling good.
Another neglected area is stretching a few minutes before your walk. In an article on Silver Sneakers , it states:
Going into your walk with stiff muscles can impede your workout by reducing power output and speed, says Carolyn Appel, C.S.C.S., a personal trainer in New York City. That’s why fitness pros preach the importance of warming up your body.
“The main objective is to lengthen muscles that may have been stuck in shortened positions during stationary activities, like sitting or driving,” Appel says. “The greater your range of motion, the more unrestricted and energetic your walk will be.”
Likewise, stretching after a workout is equally important to maintain flexibility, prevent injury, and gradually slow breathing, blood pressure, body temperature and heart rate back to normal.
So take a few minutes and try these stretches after walking to reap the full benefits of your efforts.
You might also consider incorporating some resistance band exercises into your walk to make it even more effective.
Here’s to FEELING GOOD!
