The Importance of Stretching Exercises

Muscles and connective tissues shorten over time and that results in less flexibility. If your muscles have gone some time without being used, they tend to become weaker and quite stiff. The risk of injury is greatly increased when you start to use those muscles suddenly. If you are doing regular stretching exercises to lengthen and strengthen your muscles, injury can be easily avoided.

A pulling sensation is normal while you're doing stretching exercises. It can be mildly uncomfortable but if you are experiencing pain then you are probably over extending your muscles. If this happens then you will need to reduce your stretch to maintain comfort. Of course you can push yourself to stretch further but do so gradually and with much consideration for your pain threshold.

A common mistake that many people make while doing stretching exercises is to bounce into the stretch. Bouncing is not a good idea because it's a sharp, abrupt movement that can do a lot of damage to your muscles. You should focus on the specific muscle that you are stretching and gradually push your limit without causing yourself pain.

You should find that you are more limber in just a few short months if you are dedicated to doing some stretching exercises a few times a week. If you are hoping for a faster result then you can always increase the frequency and duration of your stretching exercises. Just remember not to overdo it because an injury could have you off your feet for an extended period of time.

James is a published author at Fitness Freaks, a site dedicted to bringing you up to date information on Health and Fitness related topics. For more great articles, visit our Fitness Articles page.

In The News:
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.radionetherlands.nl/news/international/5996447/China-calls-off-military-exercise-with-UScid=1253878606ei=CmzrSMzSJ4Lg6APo8fSACQusg=AFQjCNEvjeNbZz9fApdBCl-X8xNv8-gEgQChina calls off military bexercise/b with US/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fRadio Netherlands,nbsp;Netherlandsnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The United States Defence Ministry is reporting that China has called off a planned joint military bexercise/b with the US. It says China is angry over US b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/biomed-realty-trust-announces-exercise/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257BE9F236DF-30FB-4020-9A66-36F4AFF7B5E7%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1255099006ei=CmzrSMzSJ4Lg6APo8fSACQusg=AFQjCNHwEPPrRq6AzV9-31NqPJf8U9L60ABioMed Realty Trust Announces bExercise/b of Over-Allotment Option/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobrOct 6, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1, , ) today announced that on October 1, 2008 the underwriter exercised its over-allotment option in full to purchase an additional 1125000 shares of common b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews%2Barticleid_2682010.htmlcid=1255099006ei=CmzrSMzSJ4Lg6APo8fSACQusg=AFQjCNGV5AJ9YxFkZXb8L6wnBveMhNkW_QBioMed Realty Trust Announces bExercise/b of Over-Allotment Option/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobristockAnalyst.com (press release)/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255099006hl=ennobrall 8 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/519729.htmlcid=1254941489ei=CmzrSMzSJ4Lg6APo8fSACQusg=AFQjCNHFTD8DC2B30M6daLE3EyEKO16fmQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=qLumbBXlIKAJimgurl=www.minotdailynews.com/photos/news/sm/519729_1.jpg width=75 height=63 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Minot Daily News/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/519729.htmlcid=1254941489ei=CmzrSMzSJ4Lg6APo8fSACQusg=AFQjCNHFTD8DC2B30M6daLE3EyEKO16fmQFlu clinic, emergency bexercise/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMinot Daily News,nbsp;NDnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By KATINA TENGESDAL, Staff Writer ktengesdal@minotdailynews.com First District Health Unit of Minot held a Point of Dispensing bexercise/b and flu shot clinic b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp%3Fnews%3D23001cid=1254941489ei=CmzrSMzSJ4Lg6APo8fSACQusg=AFQjCNFCrnOa9wdQv_ZbOgl9NegjHhXtMQPublic Health Emergency Practice/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrKFYR-TV/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1254941489hl=ennobrall 8 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20081007/LIFESTYLES07/810070321/-1/LIFESTYLES08cid=1254987126ei=CmzrSMzSJ4Lg6APo8fSACQusg=AFQjCNFbK93TRlatIcQAJlz5_S65Tszz8ADoes the Wii provide real bexercise/b?/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fGoErie.com,nbsp;PAnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1I am hesitant to get him the system because I don#39;t really believe that one can bexercise/b while playing video games. In your opinion, does a Nintendo Wii b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_10656144cid=1255019568ei=CmzrSMzSJ4Lg6APo8fSACQusg=AFQjCNEikR8UmJ9yysC07ky02fR1ZQZ79gUtah Wellness Week mixes fun, serious message about kids#39; health/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSalt Lake Tribune,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1She knew that before Monday#39;s statewide launch of the Utah Wellness Week program educating children about diet and bexercise/b at her school, in fact. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.thespectrum.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20081006/NEWS01/81006007cid=1255019568ei=CmzrSMzSJ4Lg6APo8fSACQusg=AFQjCNHu0bf-1lBaveiw3tykLVJREcenRQNational Child Health Day is today/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrSt. George Daily Spectrum/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255019568hl=ennobrall 3 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://news.scotsman.com/opinion/Tram-works-row-39TIE39s-PR.4564749.jpcid=1255097740ei=CmzrSMzSJ4Lg6APo8fSACQusg=AFQjCNHSWDyfqozdGSaKmmL4TS1PhmeMcwTram works row: #39;TIE#39;s PR bexercise/b hasn#39;t penetrated the hard hats#39;/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fScotsman,nbsp;United Kingdomnbsp;-/font nobr3 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1TIE#39;s extensive public relations bexercise/b clearly hasn#39;t penetrated the hard hats. It is easy to sympathise with businesses whose trade is suffering as a b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/health/3140106/Obese-women-have-a-phobia-of-exercise.htmlcid=1254628409ei=CmzrSMzSJ4Lg6APo8fSACQusg=AFQjCNGxjP7EZ2s-6W64VAs5Hf_8nN4mUQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=NVWa9b3WECAJimgurl=www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01004/obese-woman-460_1004225a.jpg width=80 height=50 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Telegraph.co.uk/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.ptinews.com/pti%255Cptisite.nsf/0/B2F29246C2671AC0652574DA0020D980%3FOpenDocumentcid=1254628409ei=CmzrSMzSJ4Lg6APo8fSACQusg=AFQjCNHOjDiMHx_39LJHJ3eLoDPpjuzXkwMental barriers #39;prevent obese women from doing bexercise/b#39;/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPress Trust of India,nbsp;Indianbsp;-/font nobrOct 5, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1London, Oct 6 (PTI) Are you overweight and always find some excuse or the other to avoid doing bexercise/b? Well, if you think it#39;s just laziness, think again, b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081005203055.htmcid=1254628409ei=CmzrSMzSJ4Lg6APo8fSACQusg=AFQjCNH-y2bN3zmnEy9a6c5wdvvv5UbgGgMental Barriers Hamper Obese Women#39;s Efforts To Get bExercise/b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrScience Daily (press release)/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1254628409hl=ennobrall 33 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/Craig_Harper/health_fitness/prweb1411584.htmcid=1255052874ei=CmzrSMzSJ4Lg6APo8fSACQusg=AFQjCNF47VCbzO68D1DFUwmeQgdbfRYswwLeading bExercise/b Scientist and Author Craig Harper Reveals Healthy b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPR Web (press release),nbsp;WAnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1As research suggests, Australia is fast becoming one of the fattest nations in the world. According to Craig Harper (B.Ex.Sci), motivational speaker and b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://blogs.thetimes.co.za/thefrockreport/2008/10/07/exercise-in-your-9-inch-heels/cid=0ei=CmzrSMzSJ4Lg6APo8fSACQusg=AFQjCNHKaqIi1Mof_pukInze04cDN1kSpgbExercise/b in your 9 inch heels!/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Times,nbsp;South Africanbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Somebody sent me this link to a Time magazine article. Apparently people can now attend High Heel Fitness Classes amp; High Heel Walking Workshops in certain b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/welltek-completes-acquisition-of-scoop-fitnesstm,569701.shtmlcid=1255120857ei=CmzrSMzSJ4Lg6APo8fSACQusg=AFQjCNHTMep47BiU8Qt4e1uLyl1RQeZqUgWellTek Completes Acquisition of Scoop! Fitness(TM)/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fEarthtimes (press release),nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Marks Critical Step Towards Building America#39;s First National Network of Branded High-End Personal Fitness and bExercise/b Studios Emphasizing Core b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
exercise - Google News

Who Else Wants To Get In Shape in 35 Minutes?

Most of the physical fitness trainers, and coaches agree that... Read More

Weight Loss, Bodybuilding, and Exercise Tips ? Keeping Your Body-fat Low; Part 1 of 10

Ever go to a party and wish you were the... Read More

Top 10 Tips For Finding Time For Exercise

If you're like most people, finding time for exercise... Read More

How to Start a Walking Program

Did you know that walking is the number one participation... Read More

Get a Health Screening Before You Start Training

So, you have decided to hire a personal trainer to... Read More

Different Exercises Schedule to Combat Hypertension, Obesity, and Asthma!

Different Health Problems generally do not allow us to do... Read More

Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts: Part 4

Welcome to article number 4 in our series "Bodybuilding Sins... Read More

The Abs... More Important Than You Think

What comes to your mind when I say the word... Read More

Your Guide To Exercise

Even light exercise is good for you, so don't get... Read More

Workout Without a Gym

You may also have no access to a commercial gym,... Read More

Tone Up While at Work

I know better than anybody that sitting at a desk... Read More

Health Tips For Busy People: Healthy Diet & Exercise In the Office

Many women's lifestyle magazines frustrate us by providing exercise regimens... Read More

The Science of Carbohydrate Loading

A valid connection between hypoglycemia, fatigue and premature termination of... Read More

What is the Right Home Exercise Program for You?

What do you want to get out of the exercise... Read More

Fitness the Goddess Way: Movement vs. Exercise

I was excited to hear the esteemed speakers at the... Read More

7 Reasons To Start Up With an Exercise Program

Most of us need to follow an exercise program. This... Read More

The Cool Down - Recover Faster & Avoid Injury!

Many people dismiss the cool down as a waste of... Read More

10 Workout Mistakes Cheaters Make

"When I'm lifting free weights, I tend to go pretty... Read More

Complete Physical Transformation Using The Purposefully Primitive Fitness Methodology

The Purposeful Primitive approach to the art and science of... Read More

Physical Fitness - Is Your Workout Missing Something?

Hiking along a rocky trail, two of the three friends... Read More

Exercising - Ways of staying motivated!

The number one reason people say they do not exercise... Read More

Take a Break

Writing is a strenuous creative activity, and like physical activity... Read More

The Fundamentals of Pilates

There are people who are fond of getting an exercise... Read More

Great Summer Workouts: Just Add Water

With warm weather season now in full gear, exercisers want... Read More

Have a Detailed Exercise Plan Before Training

You would never build a house without a site plan,... Read More