An expert spoke about the benefits of stretching exercises

Stretching exercises - stretching - are similar to Pilates classes. Both complexes are therapeutic and health-improving, contribute to stretching the spine, stretching and pumping the main muscle groups, restoring and improving the quality of muscle fiber, as well as flexibility, joint mobility, Victoria Nikitinskaya, associate professor of the Department of Sports Disciplines at the State University of Education, told Izvestia on February 3.

"Stretching exercises help warm up muscles before loading, preventing injuries, improve nutrition and restore muscles after physical activity. They remove muscle clamps, help restore blood pressure, boost immunity, improve posture, bring the digestive system and hormonal system into balance," she noted.

In addition, such an activity reduces stress, reduces insomnia and improves performance. According to the expert, stretching helps girls and women to increase libido, normalize the monthly cycle, reduce pain by activating blood circulation in the pelvic organs and strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. Systematic stretching improves the quality of life of the elderly, including preventing a number of age-related female diseases.

"But you need to know the measure. Excessive stretching of ligaments destabilizes the joints, they begin to ache and pop out. Especially it interferes with strength training in adulthood," Nikitinskaya added.

"Fitness is becoming a must-have for life."

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The expert advised beginners to take basic exercises for all major muscle groups, complicating them further. The main thing is to build the load from simple to complex. In order to increase the elasticity of ligaments and muscle apparatus, stretching exercises are optimal to do two or three times a week for one hour. But there are certain musculoskeletal exercises that can be done daily in the morning.

"With any physical activity, the body builds up the mass of muscle tissue, which requires more energy for its nutrition. This energy is extracted by the body by breaking down the calories consumed. If the amount of these calories is less than necessary, the body begins to break down calories from the body's fat stores. Usually, these processes are not started until 35-40 minutes of exercise with the release of sweat. Therefore, sometimes saying "exercise until you sweat". If you want to lose weight, take this into account," said the docent.

According to her, both Pilates and stretching have practically no contraindications. They can be practiced with any diagnosis. Exception - the period of exacerbation of diseases. In addition, in pregnancy you need to be very careful, there is a special set of exercises for pregnant women.

Earlier, on January 24, the head of the European Gymnastics Center Ilya Sidorov told "Izvestia" that sedentary lifestyle has a devastating effect on human health. At the same time, physical exercise has a positive effect on all physiological processes.