It takes years of practice and constant, rigorous training to reach the levels of flexibility seen in the likes of gymnasts, dancers, circus performers and yoga practitioners. By contrast, it only takes a bit of effort and dedication to improve your own flexibility so that you, at least, will notice the difference and, as in most areas of life, the more effort you put in, the more of a difference you will see. With that in mind, here are some tips on how to improve your flexibility.
Start getting regular massages
Massage is basically the manipulation of the muscles, which obviously benefits your flexibility. Massage also stimulates the body’s systems. Amongst its other effects, it boosts blood flow and thus increases the rate at which oxygen and nutrients are transported around the body. This is a benefit even if your circulation is generally good and even more so if you have issues with circulation, which may make it difficult to use your joints effectively and hence negatively impact your flexibility.
Take steam treatments
In principle, any form of heat treatment will relax your muscles, which is a prerequisite for most forms of exercise, including (and especially) anything which is intended to improve your flexibility. It can also help to relax muscles after exercise and ease any pain you may be feeling.
In practice, steam is generally the preferred option as it has additional benefits (hence the fact that many health clubs and gyms have steam rooms). Like massage, it stimulates the body’s systems, getting the blood flowing into the muscles and joints and also encouraging the body to detoxify (through sweat).
If you live in an urban area, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to get steam treatments at a public facility and if you have the budget you could even install a steam shower in your own home. If, however, neither of these is an option, or you really don’t fancy steam, you could try an infra-red sauna mat, which will give you dry heat. This does not provide all the benefits of steam but it will provide an effective heat treatment.
Eat a healthy diet
A healthy diet will help to keep your bones strong (calcium), your muscles repaired (protein), your energy levels up (iron) and your weight down (realistic calorie intake). These can all be major benefits in your journey to improved flexibility.
If you eat meat, then oily fish is a great source of Omega-3 oils which are beneficial to joint health. If you don’t, try walnuts (other nuts can also be good), flaxseed and canola oil, all of which are rich in Omega-3. Also, dark, leafy greens such as spinach and kale are rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene, which are good for joint health.
Choose the right form of exercise for your goals
There are all kinds of exercises which can improve your flexibility. The “big three” however are probably tai chi, pilates and yoga. These exercises are all broadly similar, but, as is often the case, there are differences in the details. Tai chi loosens muscles and stretches the whole body. Pilates and yoga both concentrate on building strength and flexibility, but yoga often places much more emphasis on increasing the range of joint motion.
Commit to practising regularly
Like many forms of exercise, the more you practice the quicker you will see results. Improving your flexibility is really about small, incremental gains which add up to a big difference given enough time. In other words, short exercise sessions on a regular basis will almost certainly give you quicker results than lengthy sessions on a periodic basis, even if the total length of time you spend exercising is exactly the same.
