Crossfit Personal Trainer Shares Five Great Stretching Exercises

Exercising on your own can be boring, ineffective and fraught with risks of injury. What you need is individual guidance at each stage and a CrossFit gym provides you with just that! CrossFit Ulladulla has trained and experienced instructors who will show you how to warm-up properly, do your exercises correctly and eat nutritious; balanced meals. Once you enrol at a CrossFit gym, you can be certain of attaining your fitness target.

Importance of Proper Warm-up Session at CrossFit
It is extremely unsafe to start exercising without first acclimatising your body through a proper warm-up session. Your muscles remain stiff, metabolism low and body temperature not high enough to cope with any kind of vigorous activity.

A proper warm-up session through stretching prepares your respiratory system, cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system and respiratory system for the strenuous exercises you are about to perform. Stretching also makes your muscles more flexible, leaner and longer. It improves overall blood circulation and reduces muscle tension and stress. Your fitness instructor will make you go through some amazing stretching movements for a dynamic warm-up session.

Cross Shoulder Stretch 
To do this, stand straight with knees bent slightly. Place feet apart at hip distance with toes pointed forward. Now bend your right arm at the elbow and move it across your chest. Support the right arm by placing your left arm at the right elbow. Inhale through nose, hold arm in position and exhale through the mouth. Repeat with your left arm. Remember to keep your shoulders straight throughout the movement.

Chest Stretch 
Stand in similar position as above and keep shoulders straight. Now place arms behind you, clasp them together and extend them as far backwards as you comfortably can. Hold in position while you inhale with your nose and exhale through the mouth. Repeat as many times as you are comfortable or as instructed by your personal trainer.

Hamstring and Calf Muscle Stretch
To stretch your hamstrings after your workout, lie on the ground; keep both knees bent and place feet flat at six inches apart from each other. Lift your knee (in bent position) to your chest and hold your right thigh by placing both hands behind the knee. Straighten your legs slowly till you feel a gentle stretch in your hamstrings.

To stretch calf muscles, stand about two feet away from a wall or tree. Keep your back straight and heels flat on the ground. Now lean slowly towards the wall or tree till your palms and forehead touch it. Don’t move your knees along with your body. Hold for some time as you feel the gentle stretch on your calf muscles.

Walking Lunges 
To do this, step forward by taking a long stride with your right leg. The right knee should be placed just behind the toes.  Now lower yourself into a lunge position and push your body forward. Repeat with your left leg.

Bent Torso Stretch 
Your CrossFit personal  trainer will also show you how to stretch your torso. Stand with feet placed wide apart, extend arms to both sides and bend over. Touch your left foot with right hand and then twist your torso so that your left hand will now touch your right foot. The other hand should then point upwards. Always keep your back and shoulders absolutely straight and extend arms fully.

If you would like to speak with Rich or meet with one of his Ulladulla gym personal trainers, check out their website for more info.