Gymnastic flexibility exercises for beginners – All you have to know

Published: October 22, 2020

Every gymnast needs to work on their flexibility. This is an important aspect of every sport that prevents injuries and ensures a strong performance. So, warming up and stretching before an exercise is a must. But, beware, there are many stretching exercises that can improve your flexibility. The more you enter the gymnastics world, the more you will take into account your body’s needs and do personalized stretches. However, before that time arrives, you will be able to achieve your goals with the help of some simple gymnastic flexibility exercises for beginners.

To help you out, we have written a bit more about flexibility, its benefits, and covered some basic flexibility exercises that are suitable for gymnasts of all levels. So, if this sounds like something you want to learn about, make sure to keep reading!

What can flexibility exercises do for you?

We all know that cardio workouts improve heart and lung function and lifting weights leads to lean muscle mass. But what about flexibility? What the benefits of stretching exercises are? To answer this question, we have reached to a  yoga instructor Dubai and asked about the importance of flexibility exercises. It turns out, there are many physical benefits that come with improved flexibility. Let’s take a look at some of them.

• Preventing injuries. Developing strength and flexibility allows your body to withstand more stress.
• Pain relief. When you have looser and less tense muscles, there is a smaller chance you will experience any pain or injury.
• Improved posture. Focusing on body flexibility corrects any imbalances and leads to a better body posture.
• Greater strength. Flexibility exercises are great for increasing strength and making your body fitter.
• Calming your mind. Every day stretches not only will improve your flexibility, but they will also help you get rid of the stress and calm down your mind.

  

How to get the most out of your gymnastic flexibility exercises?

To get the maximum benefit from your gymnastic flexibility beginners’ exercises, you should apply the following components. By following them, you will get the most out of your flexibility training.

• Focus on your breathing technique;
• Figure out what motivates you to work out;
• Make stretching a habit;
• Never skip a post-workout recovery.

If you are a complete beginner or you need help with improving flexibility even more, consider finding a personal trainer Dubai who can help you achieve your goals. Professionals create workout sessions only after taking into account the specific needs of every individual. Add a strong motivation to their workout program and success will be guaranteed.

Upper body flexibility exercises for beginners

So, you want to start doing some simple gymnastic flexibility exercises for beginners? To help you get started, we have separated the upper body from lower body exercises. Let’s start with upper body flexibility exercises.

Neck stretch

No matter how simple do these exercises look, don’t skip them. You can’t improve your posture or avoid injuries if you choose to skip neck stretches. For a good start, you can do neck rolls. Keep your back straight and move your neck from side to side. Keep your shoulders down and try to touch them with your ears. To get the most out of your stretch, pull gently your head with your hand. If you feel any pain or discomfort, stop doing the neck stretch.

Cross-body shoulder stretch

Place your left arm across your chest to the right side. Place your right hand on the left arm’s elbow and pull toward the chest. Keep this position for a couple of seconds and do the same for the other arm. If you don’t feel any pain or discomfort, hold this stretch for about 30 seconds.

Triceps stretch

Some like to say that triceps stretch is similar to the shoulder stretch and we can see why they think that. To do this stretch, instead of placing your hand across the chest (like you did for the shoulder stretch), place it behind your back with your elbow in the air. The next step is the same as the one with the shoulder stretch. Simply place your other arm’s hand on the elbow and pull downwards. This stretch not only helps with increasing flexibility and with pain relief, but it is also a great post-workout muscle recovery stretch.

Lower body flexibility exercises for beginners

So, these were the upper body flexibility exercises for beginners. Now, let’s take a look at the best leg exercises for increasing our body’s flexibility.

Standing hip flexor stretch

Does your job include lots of sitting? If so, this is the exercise you are going to love! Here is how to do this stretch properly. Place your right foot forward and the left foot back. Drop the back knee and push your pelvis slightly forward. Keep your back straight and avoid arching or rounding it. Stay in this position for about 30 seconds and then repeat with the other leg.

Seated head toward knee stretch

If you struggle with back pain, this stretch will help you get rid of it by focusing on hamstrings and relieving tension in the back. For this stretch, you need to sit down. Stretch your left leg in front of you and bend the right leg. Keep your back straight and slightly rotate your torso toward the stretched leg. Stay in this position for 20 seconds and then repeat the entire thing with the right leg stretched.

Reclining figure four stretch

This probably one of our favorite gymnastic flexibility exercises for beginners. It’s great for those who feel pain in the lower back. To do this stretch, you need to lie down with your knees bent. Cross the left leg over the right thigh and then push your knees toward your chest. Deepen the stretch by bringing your legs closer to your torso. If you feel the slightest discomfort, that should be your sign to stop.