If you're going to be using a treadmill to burn fat and lose weight, then you'll want to make sure that you stretch your muscles before you begin. Stretching is important because it prevents injuries that could impede your performance.
It is best to fully stretch both before and after you begin walking on your treadmill. By stretching before your exercise you will help to warm your muscles allowing yourself extra flexibility, and by stretching afterwards you will help to prevent your muscles stiffening up.
Here are some stretching tips to help you prevent injury to your muscles:
1. The first mistake many people make is to try and stretch too far. If you are in pain then you have stretched too far! It is much better to stretch to a position that you find comfortable, and then hold this stance for between 15 - 20 seconds.
2. When stretching you should always breathe - some people believe that holding their breathe will help, but this is not the case. By actually doing some deep breathing exercises you will be able to give your muscles a much more thorough stretch.
3. Many people see the stretching as a warm up, but it's really important that your muscles are actually warmed up before you stretch, so always walk or jog for a few minutes to get blood flowing to your muscles.
4. A warm bath or shower and a stretch are excellent ways to end an exercise session. The warm water of the bath or shower will help to relax your muscles and the stretching will help avoid injury and will feel great!
5. You may have seen professional athletes bouncing while they stretch, but you should never ever do this! Bouncing during stretching exercises can actually cause serious injuries to your muscles rather than prevent injuries.
A lot of people assume that a treadmill will only exercise the leg muscles when in fact it delivers a full body workout. While it is important to stretch your calf muscles, quadriceps, and hamstrings it is also extremely important to stretch muscles in other areas as well such as the shoulders, neck, back and abs.
Don't just bend over and hang, trying to touch your toes. Add some additional stretches, such as the splits, lunges, and calf stretches where you stand on the edge of a step or curb and drop your heels to the point right before it becomes uncomfortable.
When stretching you should always make sure your movements and slow and deliberate - it actually helps to keep some tension in the muscles to get the most out of your stretch. And remember, you should never stretch to the point where it becomes painful. - 16463
It is best to fully stretch both before and after you begin walking on your treadmill. By stretching before your exercise you will help to warm your muscles allowing yourself extra flexibility, and by stretching afterwards you will help to prevent your muscles stiffening up.
Here are some stretching tips to help you prevent injury to your muscles:
1. The first mistake many people make is to try and stretch too far. If you are in pain then you have stretched too far! It is much better to stretch to a position that you find comfortable, and then hold this stance for between 15 - 20 seconds.
2. When stretching you should always breathe - some people believe that holding their breathe will help, but this is not the case. By actually doing some deep breathing exercises you will be able to give your muscles a much more thorough stretch.
3. Many people see the stretching as a warm up, but it's really important that your muscles are actually warmed up before you stretch, so always walk or jog for a few minutes to get blood flowing to your muscles.
4. A warm bath or shower and a stretch are excellent ways to end an exercise session. The warm water of the bath or shower will help to relax your muscles and the stretching will help avoid injury and will feel great!
5. You may have seen professional athletes bouncing while they stretch, but you should never ever do this! Bouncing during stretching exercises can actually cause serious injuries to your muscles rather than prevent injuries.
A lot of people assume that a treadmill will only exercise the leg muscles when in fact it delivers a full body workout. While it is important to stretch your calf muscles, quadriceps, and hamstrings it is also extremely important to stretch muscles in other areas as well such as the shoulders, neck, back and abs.
Don't just bend over and hang, trying to touch your toes. Add some additional stretches, such as the splits, lunges, and calf stretches where you stand on the edge of a step or curb and drop your heels to the point right before it becomes uncomfortable.
When stretching you should always make sure your movements and slow and deliberate - it actually helps to keep some tension in the muscles to get the most out of your stretch. And remember, you should never stretch to the point where it becomes painful. - 16463
About the Author:
Treadmill walking to lose weight is a fantastic first step after you have those muscles stretched! Get treadmill workout strategies as well as indepth reviews of the best treadmills here.
