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Stretching exercises play a significant role in reducing muscular tension, increasing blood circulation, enhancing muscular coordination and increasing the range of motion of the joints. Stretching reduces the physical effects of stress and is a great way of fighting muscular fatigue and cramping. There are various types of stretches such as chair stretches, back stretches, chest stretches, shoulder stretches, and neck stretches etc. that aim at strengthening specific muscle groups of the body.
Chest stretching exercises help fight stress that arises due to sitting for long hours at one place.
General Chest stretch: Stand beside a vertical pole or wall with your arms stretched sideward. Bend your elbow a little and then turn your body away from your hand. Keep your shoulder, back and chest held outwards.
Bar stretch: Stand or sit with your back to a horizontal bar. Grab the bar behind your back, just outside the shoulder-width grip with your palms down and fingers pointing backwards. Then push forward allowing your shoulders and chest to stretch back. While performing this stretch, look upwards and push forward by applying pressure. The grip between the upper palms and lower palms should be varied. You must keep your mouth closed while doing this exercise in order to get a better stretch on the upper chest.
Pulley stretch: Hold two high pulleys, lean forward and turn your shoulders in such a way that your arms are behind your back. Go down on your knees and repeat.
Desk chest stretch: This can be performed by sitting on the edge of your desk or standing up. Bring your arms behind your back, keeping the elbows absolutely straight. Interlock your fingers with your palms facing upwards and straighten your posture. Squeeze your shoulder blades together while extending your arms. Contract your abdominals a little in order to avoid overstraining your back. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat.
Tips for Performing Chest Stretches:
You must stretch the muscles to a point where no pain is felt.
Allow for the greatest range of motion while stretching.
Hold each stretch for at least 30 to 60 minutes.
If you feel even the slightest discomfort while stretching it is better to discontinue.
Stretching exercises help eliminate a number of problems related to muscular fatigue and tension. They help relax tightened muscles and increase their flexibility. Stretches must be performed under the supervision of a certified trainer in order to help you apply the correct technique to each exercise. Application of the wrong method can result in an injury or muscular damage.
Stretching videos:
One of the best ways to learn about stretching exercises is by watching stretching videos and then performing the exercises on your own. There are a number of chest stretching videos available in the market and can also be downloaded from the internet. This enables you to perform each exercise while watching the demonstration on your television screen at any point of time.
Importance of a Warm up:
It is important for you to conduct a mild warm up routine prior to performing any stretches in order to increase the temperature of the core body muscles and gets the blood flowing to your veins. This works the muscles and enables them to benefit from the various stretches.
Apparel: While performing any stretches it is essential for you to wear appropriate clothing in order to allow maximum range of motion to the joints and muscles. Loose clothing is best for stretching exercises. You can also wear thermal leggings or cycling shorts for maximum benefits.
Before performing any stretches, it is recommended that you consult a registered medical practitioner in order to determine if you are capable of performing them or not. If you are suffering from any ailment such as chronic back pain, neck pain, joint pain etc. or are recovering from a surgery or illness, you must never perform any of these exercises without consultation as it might aggravate your condition.
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