Stretching is one of the keys to effective workouts and maintaining overall flexibility and joint mobility. Especially during COVID, while many are working at home during the global pandemic, stretching is incredibly important to maintaining overall health and wellbeing.

Stretching comes in many forms, and can be practiced in many ways; from a quick 2-minute stretch to break up your work and offer your stagnant body some mobility, to an hour-long stretching and yoga session to increase your meditative and relaxation abilities after a long day in an office chair.

Stretching is an essential part of any fitness routine, and stretching properly can greatly improve stability, mobility, and blood circulation. A great stretching routine in combination with an effective exercise routine can help change your life and enhance your overall personal health

While stretching in itself seems easy, utilizing these essentials can make the process easier and more beneficial to your overall personal health and wellbeing.

Location, Location, Location

While you may feel limited in where you can stretch at home, it is important to choose a nice area away from the hustle and bustle, especially if you are looking to practice breathing and meditation techniques during your stretching.

Choosing an area in the home with less traffic, and giving yourself the ability to unwind while being unhindered by family members and unnecessary distractions can make your stretching routine more peaceful and productive.

Fitness/Yoga Matt

A matt is a cost-effective way to help with your stretching routine. This item is essential to proper grip and comfort while conducting your stretching routine. It also gives you the ability to line up your body for the instances in which you need to maintain specific positioning. The experts behind 889 Yoga’s cork mat review say that while it might seem unnecessary, frustration with slipping on hardwood, or uncomfortable skin irritations due to stretching on a patterned carpet can be detrimental to your overall stretching routine. Comfort is important to stretching, meditating, and breathing routines. It is important to ensure you are comfortable and want to continue your routine. An inappropriate area can cause you to lose interest and focus when it comes to your stretching and exercise routines.

Foam Rolls

Foam rolls are a great addition to your stretching routine. While these are formatted more as a self-massaging/muscle releasing tool, they can supplement your stretching and relaxation routine if you can’t incorporate massage to increase your overall wellness. While foam rollers can never fully take the place of a massage therapist, they can be an essential part of a productive and beneficial home stretching routine.

Foam rollers work by compressing and releasing muscles and work differently than static stretches designed to target muscles after a heavy workout. These stretching aids can assist in relaxing and working tense muscles before and after your stretching routine.

Balance/Stability Balls

Any great stretching routine should incorporate some balance exercises as well. Stretching routines are about aiding in mobility and flexibility, but can also greatly improve balancing abilities and strengthening core muscles. Balancing will improve your stretching abilities, and your stretching abilities will improve your balance; it is a win-win situation            

Resistance Bands

By incorporating resistance bands into your stretches you can improve your strength without implementing true strength training techniques. Resistance bands are a great way to tone muscles and can increase the effectiveness of an already great stretching routine. In adding resistance bands to your routine, you can increase resistance and tension on your body during stretches, and enhance your overall personal strength and fitness, without purchasing expensive machines or weight sets normally used for strength training. This is a great item to have and will dramatically increase the benefits of your at-home fitness routine.

Instructional Books and Videos

While stretching may seem like an easy enough activity, there are specific stretches you can employ to target areas in the body where you feel pain and discomfort. Just as it is important to consult with professionals for full-blown workout routines, it is important that the stretches you will be doing at home help rather than hinder your overall well being. It is possible to stretch wrong, it is possible to injure or damage and pull your muscles without the appropriate guidance. By following easy to use and step by step instructions, you can ensure you will be benefiting from, not suffering from, your at-home stretching routine.                  

Whether you are looking for a light and relaxing stretch after a hard day of work, or trying to improve your stretching techniques after intensive workouts, these accessories can ensure you are making the most of your time and reap the benefits of an appropriate and effective at-home stretching routine.