This routine starts and ends with 10 minutes of stretching.
Below is an extract from the book Great Body No Diet
Chapter 5
Exercise
Stretching Is Vital
Stretching is so important, but cannot work without proper breathing. Stretching after a workout prevents tightness in your muscles, and you become more flexible. You need seven to ten minutes of warm-up before and seven to ten minutes of stretching after skiing, swimming, working out at the gym, or any other activity, and those minutes count as part of the total workout time.
While warming up, stretch the muscles in your neck, arms, waist, hips, legs, back and feet. Do so gently before the workout to avoid tearing your muscles, but at the end of the workout, it is okay to push a little harder because the muscles are more pliable.
The Reasons You Need to Stretch
• Get into the mood of the workout
• Warm up the muscles
• Avoid exhaustion
• Avoid stiff muscles the day after
• Pump blood in and out of your muscles
• Burn more energy
• Elongate the muscles to create beautiful lean shapes that are not bulky
• Coordinate the whole body
• Tone the body
• Increase flexibility
• Release the energy that was created during the workout, so it can flow to the rest of the body
• Release the carbon dioxide (CO2) that comes from the fat-burning process
• Prepare the muscles for the next workout
The website www.greatbodynodiet.com will have lots of useful information and a section dedicated to stretching.
