- Always warm up. Jog in place a couple of minutes before starting.
- Do the exercises slowly.
- Breathe!
- Hold each stretch for 3 to 5 seconds.
- Stretch only until you can feel the muscle working.
- If you feel pain, stop.
- Never bounce while stretching. 8. Try to stretch a little bit more each day but not too much!
Teach Kids how to properly Stretch
If someone is flexible, it means that their muscles and bones can move freely without feeling tight or stiff. Try this experiment and see how flexible you are:
Stand with your legs straight and knees bent a tiny bit. Bend forward and try to touch the floor. If you can reach your knees only, your muscles are tight. If you can touch your toes, your muscles are flexible. Flexible muscles let you bend, stretch, twist, and move freely. Stretching exercises help you become more flexible. On the next pages, you will find six stretching exercises that you can try.
Here are tips for doing them safely: