Stretching. It’s one of those things we all know we need to do more. Yet we convince ourselves that it isn’t really worth the hassle. That there’s just not enough time in the day.
We’re all busy people. Time is our most valuable resource, and we need to spend it wisely.
But what if someone told you that stretching could save you time in the long run?
If you are consistent with a stretching routine (in addition to a foam rolling and strengthening routine), you will save countless amounts of money on unnecessary medical bills, and time spent hobbling around. If you take care of your body, it will take care of you.
Stretching is an investment in the future. It is treating yourself like a business. When you decide to stretch, you are deciding that your “company” is worth investing in for the future. You may not see results today, tomorrow, or even next month, but it will pay off.
When all your friends and colleagues start getting aches and pains from “old age,” (which is a bunch of hooey by the way – they just didn’t invest in their future, and are now paying the price) you will be supple and active.
A common complaint is that there’s just not enough time in the day for something that seems monotonous and won’t pay off immediately.
Stretching does not have to be some enormous time suck that requires hours upon hours of dedication. For beginners, a full body routine should take about 30 minutes tops.
Here’s another common gripe – that it’s boring. That it’s hard. What a load of malarkey.
Everyone can be flexible. There’s no reason you should be stiff, sore, and unable to do the things you want to do. When you decide not to stretch, you are choosing to let your health go down the toilet.
It’s not going to be fun when you start. Nothing ever is. But as time goes on, you will see improvement. And those improvements will motivate you to do it more and more.
The human body takes a lot of abuse from the lifestyles we lead. Sitting – something that the majority of the population does for 8+ hours a day – is one of the worst things you can do.
Stretching can help repair all the damage that we do to our poor bodies on a daily basis. Lengthening the tissue helps it retain its pliability, decreasing the chance of massive injury and reduced quality of life down the road.
You should stretch because you’re worth it. You should respect yourself enough to take care of yourself and have a pain free future.
So be kind to your future self, and stretch to your heart’s content.