Delicious Stretches

I think this cat knows Downward Dog

Sometimes during a massage or shiatsu therapy session with me, I will show you stretches that are appropriate to do at home to increase your range of motion. The main caveat is that those stretches should be pain free. If they cause pain then don’t do them. There are always modifications that I can show you to do stretches that do not cause pain.

As many of you know from my conversations with you in treatment, I do not subscribe to the “No pain - no gain” mantra. My modus operandi is the philosophy of Goldilocks and the Three Bears: the porridge should be “Not too hot, not too cold, but just right.”

So how should a good stretch feel? Think of a cat getting up after a snooze. Our feline friends know how to take care of themselves first because they are number one in the hierarchy and you are their servant.  When a cat stretches, there is never a look of pain on the their face. Take a lesson from the animal kingdom and try to imitate how delicious that stretch can be. 

When I was a member of GoodLife Fitness, I used to do the Body Pump classes using weights.  The instructor in the last ten minutes of the class would always do stretches.  I would watch as people left early because they regarded this part of their workout as unimportant. No, it’s probably the most important part of the class. I wanted to hand them my business card for when they eventually injured themselves.

Stretches are important for several reasons: They will increase muscle blood flow so that there is more nutrient to the muscles. This will improve your performance in physical activities. Proper stretching will help your joints move through their full range of motion and therefore decrease your risk of injuries. 

Think of a proper stretch being the antidote to a muscle-bound condition. It’s about easy unconstricted movement.