Healthy Colorado: Prioritizing stretching in the new year
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- A new year and new goals are likely set. And that might include more dedication to your body.
Stretching might not be a big part of your fitness routine. But there are benefits at the gym and beyond.
"This is the chance where you are on the table and one of the trained professionals is taking you through your range of motion and flexibility training," says Don Stewart, a fitness professional at LifeTime.
Stretching is something we are all told to do, but how often do we really do it?
2024 is the year to change those habits.
"It's a chance where the member is passively laying down and we take them through the full range of motion and use different techniques to help blood flow and recovery and range of motion," says Stewart.
Dynamic stretching is a one-on-one, hands-on assisted stretching session individualized to you. With a stretch specialist customizing the experience based on your unique body and goals at Life Time.
"I think if people were to be a little more mindful and a little more intentional with their stretch routine then I think they would start to feel the benefits and see the benefits to that a little bit more," says Michelle Gregory, a fitness professional at Life Time.
It's normal for the hips, lower back, and upper neck to hold tension from being hunched over at a desk.
"Flexibility is one of those things that in a seated community now with the way that our posture is affected from work and cars, we are sitting more ever," says Stewart.
Fitness professionals at Life Time say that given our stationary lifestyles, we need to prioritize more mobility training and stretching.
"Most people deal with a lot of low back pain, most people have a lot of tension, and stretching is one of those things that is often gets neglected and that's why we brought this program in to help people get that treatment that they need," says Stewart.
If stretching has been an afterthought for you up until now, try and start small with attainable goals. Maybe stretch for five minutes before and after a workout and then add more time and movements from there And if you are a Life Time member, you can schedule a dynamic stretching session for an additional cost before or after your next workout.
