“Stretching for Fat Loss”
by Stephan Cabral
How can stretching increase your likelihood of losing weight and burning body fat?
It's actually a simple concept that is completely overlooked by most people.
I think everyone just seems to be so busy trying to get in and out
of their workout so quickly they end up dropping off some of the
important details that can really make or break a workout...
The simple fact is that if you can stretch deeper into a movement
you will fire more muscle fibers.
That increase in stimulation to the new muscle fibers being worked
will likely yield greater lean body mass development, as well as
boosting your metabolic rate. Getting deeper into an exercise will
also force your body to work harder, and thus pumping up your heart
rate and cardiovascular system to new levels.
The effect is immediate and you will feel your body pushing its
intensity level to keep up!
The best example of this is the squat. Instead of using a weight
that only allows you to get down into a quarter or half squat, try
a slightly lighter load and squat down at least parallel to the
floor.
Getting deeper into an exercise can be accomplished by using a
dynamic warm-up and some active stretching techniques before your
workout. The extra warmth and blood flow this creates in the
connective tissue and muscles allows for a safer, deeper stretch
during each repetition.
After your workout, you can always continue to concentrate on
static stretching with the goal of being able to open up, realign,
and lengthen those muscles that are the tightest on your body.
So now you know... Flexibility equals GREATER results!