Stretching – The Key to Inch Loss        

By Liberty Harper & Karen Knight

Everyone knows how important strength and cardiovascular training are when it comes to a well-rounded fitness routine.  We need to build strong muscles and bones while we burn fat and strengthen our heart.  What is often overlooked however is stretching, and just how much even two minutes of a stretching program per workout can a ffect our ultimate goals of weight and inch loss. 

Intensity seems to be our main focus as we work out.  How many pounds, how much resistance, how many can I do?  Push, push, push becomes our mantra.  We need to keep in mind that our speed and range of motion, especially while strength training, are just as important if not more so.  How do we increase our range of motion?  We stretch!

Keep this in mind.  If I ask you to perform some inner thigh exercises to get ready for bikini season, but your range of motion is affected because your legs are inflexible, you will not be able to strengthen and tone that area as effectively as you hope in order to look your best.  What becomes more important than the strength exercises themselves is the stretches you do post-workout to make that area more flexible.  The more flexible you are, the better range of motion you have…which ultimately means you are getting the most out of each workout and – losing more inches over time!!!! This could mean losing 3 inches rather than 1 in a few months period!

The main reason cited for not exercising, or at least not having a complete exercise program is time.  So if I’m already having trouble finding time for strength and cardio, you ask, how can I fit in those stretches as well?  Easy!  If you do 10 stretches, in which you incorporate every muscle in your body…and you hold each stretch for the recommended 10 seconds.  You’ll take approximately 100 seconds to complete your flexibility routine…less than two minutes to increase your results significantly!

So the next time you hit the weights or hydraulics and wonder how you can get the most results for your effort, remember to s-t-r-e-t-c-h for two minutes (or more!) after your workout and before you head out the door to the rest of your busy day.