Why Men Shouldn’t Ignore Flexibility

Why do men ignore stretching and flexibility exercises? Perhaps it is because they are not seen as masculine enough compared to traditional exercises.

One thing you need to know is that stretching and flexibility exercises should actually be considered as an everyday activity!

4 Reasons why men should include a flexibility/stretching session in their everyday lives

HELP REDUCE LOWER BACK PAIN

A lot of people with back pain avoid exercise because they are afraid of making it worse.

However, research has found that for people with acute, subacute or chronic low back pain, there is no evidence that exercise increases the risk of additional back problems. In fact, it exercise may slightly reduce risk of future back injuries. Flexibility training can also help to reduce pain and improve range of movement in those with chronic lower back pain.

HELP YOU RELAX

By including a stretching session after a long way at work, you get a chance to wind down, clear the mind of any busy thoughts and purely focus on the body.

Research has indicated that stretching does have a positive effect on your mental health and helps reduce anxiety.

HELPS YOU MOVE BETTER

The American College of Sports Science explains that having a body that isn’t limber or flexible can mean you are restricted in certain movements.

By training the body to stretch you are essentially teaching it how to perform tasks more easily. 

Another point is that by being more flexible you also improve your chances of injury.

GETS YOUR MOVING

Increasing the movement of your body = excellent for you overall health.

Logan Collins, a certified personal trainer and fitness center coordinator at Texas Health Prosper, says he knows firsthand the importance of improving flexibility — something he learned the hard way after numerous muscle and tendon tears that required surgery. 

“Even those of us who are blessed with being naturally limber can improve our flexibility through stretching, especially as we get older,” he says. “Flexibility is often overlooked and always underestimated when it comes to overall health!”