What’s your workout routine look like these days? A lot of us prioritize cardio or strength training, or some combination of both. These are two indispensable parts of a good fitness routine, but there’s a third part that a lot of people (yoga, gymnastics, and Pilates devotees aside) tend to forget. That part of your fitness routine, of course, is flexibility.
Flexibility—the ability to move a part of your body through a full range of motion without pain, tightness, or restriction—offers so many health benefits. But people tend to neglect flexibility. They remain sedentary, letting their muscles or joints get stiff, or they lose some of their natural elasticity as they age. It’s also possible to focus on a specific form of exercise and create a muscle imbalance, which can end up restricting our movements.
But there are three big reasons you should be focused on flexibility. When you’re flexible, you can…
1. Reduce Your Risk of Injury
Being flexible means you’re less likely to get hurt when you’re doing physical activity. Your muscles and your tendons are more flexible, so if you move them a certain way—maybe even a way they’re not used to being moved—they’re not as prone to straining or spraining.
2. Improve Your Overall Athletic Performance
You’re going to have better overall performance because your body has a better range of motion. Your stride can be wider, your squats can go deeper, and your arms can reach farther. You’ll also have better overall coordination and balance.
3. Feel Much More Comfortable
When you’re flexible, your muscles are less likely to be tight and tense—and it’s not very comfortable to walk around all day with tense muscles. Loosening up those muscles will improve your circulation, which can help you recover more quickly from activity because blood is better able to reach all parts of your body.
