It used to be when it came to the kids that we never worried about them getting enough exercise as they always seemed to be on the go and outside enjoying all types of activities. For many parents this has changed as many of the kids now tend to be more technology minded, and have devoted the majority of their spare time to the video games that have become the prime source of entertainment.
It is really important to encourage the kids to become more active in order to prevent health problems even at a young age and to protect them as they become older. One of the simplest forms of exercises to get kids into is stretching exercises. This doesn’t take a lot of time and the little ones especially find it really enjoyable.
You can start by giving the kids an activity that is going to warm them up. This could be marching in place or dancing or doing some arm swings and circles, or even just a quick walk. Once the youngster has gone through the warm-up they are ready to do some stretches.
With the little ones you want to make sure that they don’t overdo it because they become so enthusiastic and want to show mommy and daddy just how much they can do. You want them to stretch their spine first and then focus on the upper and lower body. Make sure that they don’t go to the point where they’re feeling pain. You can actually incorporate some of the yoga poses in to the stretching exercises for the kids as these are easy for them to learn and they find it most enjoyable.
For the adults of the family especially those that are in the working world stretching should be a part of their exercise regime. It acts as a preventative to potential damage to the muscles especially when they constantly have to use them perhaps in their work environment. It also regenerates, rejuvenates and helps to boost the energy.
One group of individuals that are often forgotten about when it comes to exercising is the seniors. Stretch training for them can be really important as it can enhance their health. It is important to first set a prerequisite of what they are able to do in regards to the different types of stretching.
Setting up stretching exercises for a group of seniors can serve a lot of great purposes. It can help to increase the strength in their torso and legs and it helps to keep them agile. It also gives them something mentally to be part of and can create a social setting when others are joining in the program.
The seniors can participate in static stretching as well as dynamic stretching. For seniors stretching exercises shouldn’t be done on a daily regime but should be set up to be done two or three times per week. They can perform each stretch 3 to 5 times for each body region. This would be the perfect amount for them but every senior has to be treated individually as to what their limitations and capabilities are.
