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Stop Stretching!
Expert Reveals Why Stretching Hurts Your Muscles and How to Do It the Right Way
| Source: Anat Baniel
SAN RAFAEL, CA--(Marketwire - May 8, 2009) - We stretch every day, but one expert
believes it actually may be hurting us.
That's the opinion of mind and body fitness expert Anat Baniel, author of
"Move Into Life: The Nine Essentials for Lifelong Vitality," from Harmony
Books (www.anatbanielmethod.com), who believes that stretching is an
activity that actually hurts our muscles.
Baniel has devised a method of stretching that actually increases
flexibility and motion without damaging your muscles.
1. Stand up, spread your feet comfortably, gently bend down, and let your
hands move toward your feet. Notice how far you go, with forcing, and come
back to standing.
2. Stand, spread your legs comfortably, bend your knees a little, and put
your right hand just above your right knee, on your thighs. Put your left
hand just above your left knee. Then lean on your legs with the weight of
your upper body resting on your hands. Begin to round your back and at the
same time pull your belly in and look down at your belly. Then gently arch
your back, push your belly out, lift your head, and look up. Go back and
forth like this four or five times.
3. Come back to standing and simply bend forward and take your hands down
toward your feet. Is there some change already?
4. Stand with your feet spread, your knees bent a little, and this time
lean with both hands on your left leg, just above the knee as before. Very
gently and slowly round your back and look down, then arch your back, free
the belly muscles -- push them out -- and look up. Go back and forth four
or five times. Then stand and rest for a moment. Feel how you stand.
5. Stand with your knees a bit bent and spread, and this time lean with
both hands on your right knee. Very gently and slowly round your back and
look down, then arch your back, free your belly muscles -- push the belly
out -- and look up. Go back and forth four or five times.
6. Stand up with your feet spread comfortably and simply bend down and
feel if you can bend more easily and farther than before.
About Anat Baniel
Born in Israel, Anat Baniel (M.A. Clinical Psychology) is a
mind/body/fitness expert.