No matter which discipline of martial arts you embrace, the two things that need to be practiced on a regular basis are flexibility and mobility. During a period of time when most people are secluded in their homes, there are many factors working against that. The fact that people, in general, are feeling high levels of stress from coexisting in today’s new normal means that they are carrying around higher levels of the hormone cortisol without an avenue to fully release it, such as working out in a gym. In addition, most people who have suddenly been forced to work remotely cannot afford the luxury of furniture that meets proper ergonomic positionings such as at work itself. Their home office setup might not be optimal for maintaining good posture. Despite all this, it can help to know that a consistent fitness regime can still happen without the need for a professional gym. Stretching is something that can be done pretty much anywhere, and it can do wonders for both your physical and mental health.
Dynamic Stretching
Dynamic means changing, which is the whole point of this type of stretching. Prior to a workout, you need to introduce cold joints and muscles to the idea of movement and exertion through a range of safe motion that mimics the exercises to come. It’s a dress rehearsal for your body so it can operate at maximum capacity without the risk of injury. Some examples of dynamic stretching include lunges, straight-leg kick, and a side shuffle.
Static Stretching
Contrary to popular belief, there are multiple types of stretching and they are recommended at different points of a workout. Static stretching revolves around the idea of staying static, or in place. It is the type of stretch that most people are familiar with, yet it is still used incorrectly quite often. The purpose of a static stretch is to hold a position without moving for a select period of time while also taking conscious, deep breaths. This is normally done at the end of a workout when the muscles are already loose and warmed up. Pulling on a cold muscle is more likely to cause injury and is highly inadvisable. Yoga poses are a great example of the type of stretches to do, post-workout.