What are the benefits of flexibility training?

Firstly, injuries can be reduced in both sports and daily activities, and secondly, the inexplicable soreness and stiffness in the body can be reduced by more than half. When I ran a half-marathon two years ago, I always found it troublesome to stretch. I wiped my sweat and walked straight away after each run. Within two months, Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome came to my door. The pain on the outside of my right knee was so painful that I had to move sideways when going down the stairs. The first thing I said when I went to the rehabilitation department was "add flexibility training to three times a week, don't just focus on endurance training." After three weeks of dynamic stretching and yoga hip opening, the pain completely disappeared. After running two full marathons, I never had this problem again.

It’s also useful if you don’t exercise much. A girl in my department spent a day typing on the keyboard, and her shoulders and neck were so stiff that they felt as if they were coated with a layer of curing agent. She used to go to a massage parlor for a massage, and after two days of massage, she felt comfortable and returned to her original shape. Later, I spent 10 minutes every day after get off work to stretch my chest, shoulders, and hamstring muscles. Now I rarely even suffer from stiff neck, and my back doesn’t hurt after sitting for a long time.

Of course, many people now say that flexibility training is useless, and that too much training can even damage the joints. This statement is actually not unreasonable. I have seen a little girl in the gym ask the coach to press her legs hard in order to quickly become a one-shot horse. As a result, the ligament was strained for less than half a year. There are also some people who have practiced excessive flexibility, and their muscle strength has not kept up. The joints are shaking so much that their knees are weak when squatting, and they are more likely to be injured than ordinary people.

In fact, to put it bluntly, flexibility training is like daily maintenance of the muscle fascia on your body. Our muscles are like rubber bands. If they are not used for many years or always maintain the same posture, they will gradually become hard and brittle, and they will break if they are pulled even slightly. Proper flexibility training is to help them maintain their elasticity. It does not have to be stretched to the point where you can do the splits or touch your belly button with your backhand. It just suits your daily needs. For example, if you like to play badminton and basketball, you should practice the flexibility of your hips and ankles, so that you can lengthen your stride, change direction without getting stuck, and be able to reach the ball half a meter longer. ； If you are a sedentary office worker, you should practice the flexibility of your chest, shoulders, waist, abdomen and back of legs. You will not feel stiff even after sitting for a whole day, and your waist will not slip when you bend down to pick something up. When many people around me mention flexibility training, they think it’s something for yoga teachers or dance students. In fact, it’s really not the case. Spend 20 to 30 minutes a week and practice some movements that correspond to your physical problems. You can feel the difference after two weeks of trying it.