Stretching the muscles of the whole body is necessary for everyone, both athletes and people with a predominantly sedentary lifestyle. Let's look at why and how to do stretching exercises.
During stretching, blood flows to the muscles, they become stronger and more elastic. Due to this, the risk of injury and pain threshold are reduced, posture and flexibility are improved. It also has a beneficial effect on the health of the vascular and nervous systems.
Experts distinguish several types of stretching, where the first 2 are main:
- Static stretching. The simplest but most effective technique. As the name suggests, the meaning lies in static poses with maximum stretching and fixation for 15-60 seconds. Necessary for developing muscle habit to a new state.
- Dynamic. There are two types: active and ballistic. The first implies smooth movements without jerking and with periodic fixation, the second - on the contrary, which has the greatest effect on the tendons.
- Proprioceptive muscle relief. Static exercises with mandatory muscle tension are essentially a warm-up before the main ones.
- Passive. Performed with the support of a partner in taking static and dynamic poses.
How to master cross splits: recommendations for beginners
Anyone who has set such a goal needs to understand that this process is not quick. To achieve good results, you need to follow a number of mandatory rules:
- Exercise regularly. The body must get used to constant stress. By skipping workouts, you're back to square one.
- For the first couple of weeks, train every other day. When the body adapts sufficiently, switch to a five-day workout with a two-day break (for example, Saturday and Sunday).
- Don't overexert yourself. To get started, short workouts of 15-20 minutes are enough. Over time, the duration of classes should be increased to an hour.
- If you train at home, choose a suitable place. When doing exercises, nothing should distract you. Also, you need to worry about the necessary free space with an unobstructed approach to the wall.
- Avoid wearing uncomfortable, restrictive clothing. The best option is long sports pants and a T-shirt.
- Always monitor your own condition and avoid overload.
What to do if pain occurs during or after exercise
At the initial stage, when you have to pull a body that is not yet accustomed to such loads, mild pain is the norm. Also, pain may appear due to excessively sudden movements during the stretching process, non-compliance with the technique, or due to the individual characteristics of the athlete’s body.
In any case, you should not try to ignore the pain syndrome. When performing an exercise is accompanied by pain, you should reduce the intensity of the workout. If such measures do not work, be sure to seek advice from your doctor.
How to do the cross splits in a short time
The answer is clear - no way. This exercise takes time to complete. The body must gradually get used to increasing loads. During the preparatory classes, muscles, tendons are stretched, and joints gain greater mobility. After serious work, they need to fully recover. And this is a rather lengthy process. But it cannot be ignored. Otherwise, there is a high probability of injury and long-term failure.
In addition, how quickly you can complete the task is directly affected by your level of physical fitness. If you have previously had the opportunity to “stretch” regularly, you will be able to conquer the cross splits much faster (3-5 months).
Beginning athletes should not count on such quick results. It can take a year or even more to fully prepare for the exercise.
Basic rules for beginners
- Have a great warm up! Before you start stretching, be sure to do some cardio, that is, run and jump intensely for at least 10 minutes so that you sweat.
- Relax! No matter how strange it may sound, stretching occurs at the moment of relaxation. When you experience muscle pain, under no circumstances should you strain or squeeze your muscles; on the contrary, relax. It is worth noting that severe pain cannot be tolerated, otherwise you can tear muscles and ligaments. The pain should be pleasant, or at least tolerable.
- Exercise regularly! There is strength in consistency. The optimal number of workouts is 5 times a week (to achieve quick results). One workout lasts 30 minutes (including 10 minutes warming up and 20 minutes stretching). If you wish, you can increase the stretching time depending on how you feel, but do not decrease it in any way.
Stretching for the lazy: simple instructions from a fitness champion
In Russian artistic skating, the competition is no lower than in single figure skating, so Valentina Zorina did not manage to get into the national team and represent it at the largest international competitions. But she found herself in another sport - fitness. The girl is the champion of one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world - the Arnold Classic. Now the girl no longer performs - she is raising a small child, works as a coach and conducts online training.
Especially for the laziest and most relaxed fans of a healthy lifestyle, Valentina has prepared a set of several exercises. The entire workout will take approximately 1 hour. Ideally, the girl advises staying in each position for at least 10 minutes, but for starters, a shorter time is quite suitable.
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Static stretching allows you to stretch your muscles in a less damaging way and focus on your internal sensations. Stretching has a beneficial effect on the central nervous system and helps relieve stress. Static stretching does not require complex equipment or much effort. All you need is a mat, a flat floor and a wall. During static holds while doing exercises, you can read a book, watch a movie, or read Sport24 on your tablet or smartphone.
Stretching exercises from Valentina Zorina
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Sit on the mat, spread your legs as far apart as possible, keeping your knees straight. Lean your body forward and touch your hands to the floor, stretching forward. Fix your position for 10 minutes. As you progress, try to touch the floor with your elbows and then your forehead.
We position ourselves against the wall. We lie on our backs and lift our legs up to the ceiling. We spread our legs apart and allow gravity to gradually stretch the muscles. In this position, you need to try to relax and hold on for at least 5-10 minutes without bending your knees or lifting your legs from the wall.
Sit on the mat, bend your knees and place your feet together. Then slowly move your body forward, gradually stretching the inner thighs - the adductors and groins. Try to hold this position for 10 minutes.
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Lie down on the mat and from a lying position, try to bend your lower back as much as possible, as if performing a “bridge.” To make it easier to fix in this position, you can place a special cushion under your lower back or roll up a towel (mat).
Lie on your stomach, turn one leg to the side and try to bend your knee to pull your heel closer to your waist, leading your hip up. At the same time, try not to lift your pelvis off the floor. Perform exercises on both legs alternately or, if stretching allows, on both legs at once.
How to pull on a slack split?
If you did the splits, congratulations! And if you no longer experience pain and discomfort when sitting on a regular split, then I advise you not to stop there. Try to go into the minus - that is, sit on the sagging splits. To do this, take a platform, for example: a step or a sofa (if it’s at home).
Execution: Place your right foot on the platform, sit in a longitudinal split and relax under the pressure of your own weight. Then turn to the transverse, and then turn to the left leg to give a good stretch to the front muscles of the right leg. In the future, you can use 2 steps and raise the height of the platform. Stretching will be very effective if you ask a knowledgeable friend to stretch you. I wish you success!
How to do the longitudinal splits in the minus. How to do the splits quickly. Negative split
Igor July 11, 2019
Stretching Tips
The first comprehensive stretching exercises should be introduced in early childhood. Children have natural plasticity and it is not difficult for them to achieve elasticity in their tendons.
Before training, you should wear loose clothing and cover the floor with a non-slip mat.
You should start with warm-up exercises. A jump rope or regular jogging is perfect for this. Not doing this warm-up increases your chances of getting injured.
Breathing, like movements, should be calm. The jerk style of training is not recommended for girls. The main thing is to perform the elements at the same pace, without losing your way.
Tense positions should be held for no more than 20 seconds.
Muscle pain is a natural occurrence, but it should not be severe. The resulting burning indicates an incorrect format of the lesson.
Stretching must be done for all muscle groups, sequentially.
Warm up before exercise
Warm-up gymnastics is the most important stage on the path to performing the splits; the warm-up contains elements of yoga. It is necessary to warm up before every workout, without exception. After all, if the muscles are not sufficiently prepared and warmed up, the exercises will be ineffective.
The following are great warm-up exercises:
- running in place;
- jumping rope;
- swing your legs;
- squats;
- rotation of the legs in the hip and knee joints.
During preparation, you should also not forget about your arms and upper body. To eliminate the possibility of injury and make it easier to perform the main set of exercises, you need to warm up completely. Pull-ups on the horizontal bar and heavy dumbbells, of course, are not required. But a variety of rotations and arm swings, as well as push-ups, will come in handy. The main thing is not to overdo it. The warm-up should not end with a feeling of complete exhaustion. You can read about how to warm up properly in this article.
Don't forget that you need to practice in a warm room. If you get cold during a workout, your muscles won't be able to relax enough and will stretch worse.
What are the benefits of cross twine?
This type of split is a very impressive pose. But the benefits of its implementation are not limited to the aesthetic side alone. So, stretching on the back of the thigh helps:
- make the leg muscles strong and toned;
- work out the muscles of the back, lumbar region and abs;
- normalize the activity of the pelvic organs and genitourinary system;
- improve the elasticity of the ligaments and the mobility of the hip joints, which is especially good for women (makes it easier to bear a fetus and give birth to a healthy child).
In addition, stretching acts as an effective preventative against various pathologies of the abdominal cavity and gastrointestinal tract.
How to make cross splits more difficult
If you have sufficiently trained your body and are already confident in the splits, the exercise can be complicated. To do this, from the transverse position, stretch your body forward. Extend your arms and slowly lower yourself behind them. Ideally, the chest and stomach should be pressed to the floor. Make sure to keep your legs apart in a straight line and do not bend your knees.
To summarize the above, it should be said once again that almost everyone can do the cross splits. But the speed with which you will be able to achieve the desired result depends directly on the level of physical fitness, individual characteristics of the body, age and regularity of exercise.
This exercise allows you to keep yourself in good shape and has a beneficial effect on your health and overall condition. But it should be performed only in the absence of contraindications.
Exercises
It is important to do the complex in stages, without jumping from one element to another. 40 min. – optimal time for training. It should not be more than an hour. During this time, children may become overexerted.
We repeat everything 10 times:
- We put our hands on the belt. We bend to the sides;
- We place our feet shoulder-width apart, bend forward, gradually reducing the distance between the feet, trying to reach the floor with our hands;
- Circular movements of the pelvis, first to the right, then to the left;
- In a half-squat position, we twist our knees;
- Bend the leg at the knee, describe a circle with the foot, then with the knee;
- We bring one leg forward, gradually deepening the lunge. We change the leg;
- We sit on the floor, holding the body at an angle of 90 degrees, slowly bend forward, stretch our hands to our feet;
- You need to try to do the splits, without pressure;
- Sit in the lotus position, lean forward;
- Remaining in this position, bring your feet together and try to touch the floor with your knees;
- Lie on your stomach, bend your back, leaning on your elbows;
- Get on your knees, grab your toes with your hands, arch your back;
- Make a bridge from a lying position.
When stretching, it is important to remember that the workout should be safe. If a girl can’t complete all the exercises the first time, that’s not a problem. You need to get to the result gradually. After just a month of daily classes, the child should independently stand on the bridge and do the splits.
