6 Ways to Stay Limber and Get Stronger
We are all a work in progress—mentally and physically. One of the most important things to work on when it comes to our physical enhancements is to find ways to increase your limberness, flexibility, and strength.
To many, progressing on all three may feel like an impossible task. How can you get stronger while also getting more flexible? We are here to state that you can achieve both and a lot easier than you may have once thought. All it takes is some discipline, doing the right combination of exercises, and wearing the right recovery products.
Our flexibility is based on the way in which our muscles and connective tissues can move in a way that does not hurt. At the core, having good flexibility means having good mobility. It is essential to many aspects of your life—including your ability to get stronger and not get injured.
Think about it—the more limber and flexible you are, the easier exercises will be in the gym that is going to directly help you get stronger. When you achieve optimal flexibility and limberness, you will equally skyrocket with your strength too.
Staying healthy and optimizing your overall physical well-being is about balancing out flexibility and strength. And that is why we are sharing all of our top tips on how you can achieve the perfect balance. From using knee sleeves when you lift weights to doing yoga once or twice a week, check out the best ways to get more limber and stronger at the same time.
1. Dedicate Time to Focus on Flexibility
The real secret behind attaining great flexibility is consistency. You are not going to get flexible from stretching it out just once a week. But you will get flexible if you stretch for ten minutes a day at least four to five days per week. Stretching does not have to be all the same either. You can mix it up with static stretching, dynamic stretching, and even breath work.
To really get the most out of your stretching, you want to do each stretch for at least half a minute before you take a break and repeat. You will also want to dedicate time for stretching based on the time in which you work out at the gym. Ideally, you’d start your workout with dynamic stretches and then end your workout with static stretches.
2. Focus on Your Breath
The power of your breath is more immense than you may have once thought. When you master your breath, you will be able to stretch further and also lift heavier—allowing you to really get more flexible and stronger at the same time. The real trick to breathing is to master your diaphragmatic breath and know how to really fill your lungs with air. You should feel your diaphragm move outwards rather than up. So regardless of if you are stretching or lifting, do not forget to incorporate your breathing techniques too.
3. Wear Recovery Products
Another great way to ensure that you can continue your strength and flexibility progress is to wear recovery products like knee sleeves that are designed to protect your joints and mobility. The knee sleeves can be worn while you are working out or stretching, or even when you are at home recovering and relaxing. The knee sleeves are designed to really look after and promote great joint health—which your body needs to achieve the perfect balance of limberness and strength.
4. Sign Up for Yoga
You can increase both your strength and flexibility with yoga. There is a whole range of practices that you can try that will help you get that yin and yang for your body. Many of the yoga classes incorporate both static and dynamic stretches while also helping you master your breath. Plus, many of the postures that you will do equally require you to use your strong muscles. It is a great overall way to achieve limberness and strength.
5. Alternate Weights and Bodyweight Exercises
While lifting weights is important for getting stronger, it is not the only way to do so. Sometimes it is great for the body to be able to focus on bodyweight exercises as well for muscle development. Doing these non-weighted exercises will also allow you to optimize your mobility so that when you do the weighted ones, your body is well-prepped for it.
6. Drink Lots of Water
Staying hydrated helps with a lot of things, including our body’s ability to both recover and perform. So make sure that you drink plenty of water whether you are lifting weights to get strong or doing lots of stretches to get limber.
Conclusion
There are so many great ways to achieve the ultimate physical balance for your body. From wearing knee sleeves to mixing up your exercises, what will you focus on first?