Have you ever found yourself fighting the desire to rush through the last portion of your workout and skip the stretching portion?

Resist the urge. Stretching allows you to develop the flexibility to gain maximum benefit from your exercise routine and gives you the time to mentally unwind and reflect on your workout and the positive effects.

But stretching like any exercise component must be done correctly, if not you won't benefit completely and risk injuring yourself.

At Just Ladies Fitness we've alleviated some of the risks of stretching and help you make it easy to fit into you exercise routine. The Keiser Stretch Zone takes you through the stretching stations for every major muscle group. Simply by moving around the apparatus and following the cue cards you will get a full body stretch. Of course instructions on how and what to stretch will be covered in your no cost personal training session. All part of the benefits of membership with Just Ladies Fitness.

Tips for successful Stretching

Breathe Slowly Don't Bounce:
Flexibility training exercise should be static, performed without movement. Each position should be held for a minimum of 30 seconds or more for best results. The position should be one of comfortable mild muscle tension. Never bounce when stretching as this actually can cause the opposite of relaxation of the muscle. This may result in injury. Therefore bouncing ballistic stretching is counter productive and should be avoided.

Pain? No Gain:
While stretching you should feel tension as the muscles are gently pulled but there should be no pain. If you notice that the muscle being stretched is shaking uncontrollably then you have stretched too far. Gradually increase your range and don't go too far to fast.

It is best to stretch when the body has been warmed up for physical activity. a light general mobilizing warm-up can avoid injury associated with stretching cold muscles. Stretching before vigorous exercise can also help alleviate injuries, while stretching after you workout will increase flexibility and decrease post workout soreness.

Hold For 30 Seconds:
As mentioned previously hold each stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds. The stretch routine before or after exercise should correspond with the major muscles worked to be worked. a 7-10 minute stretching session, a small commitment that will result in a great physical benefit.