5 Stretching Exercises to Do After an Intense CrossFit Workout
If you’ve taken an interest in going to the gym, then you’ve probably already heard of CrossFit. Like many forms of exercise and workout routines, flexibility and mobility are an integral part of CrossFit training. Each session can become a little intense, leaving you in pain and your muscles aching.
After each training session, you will surely need some time to recover. The best way to streamline your recovery is with some static stretching to alleviate some of the muscle soreness.
Static Exercises for Flexibility
Dynamic exercises are great for mobility and should be done before you start your CrossFit session. When you’re done with your workout, you need to allow some recovery time. This is where static exercises come in. These are perfect for cooling down after your CrossFit training.
Here are some stretches you can do while recovering from your workout session.
Stretch #1: The Banded Hamstring
For this type of stretch, you’ll need a long exercise band. Start the stretch by laying down flat on your back. Using the band that you have with you, wrap it around one foot and hold the other end with your hands. While keeping your leg straight, start pulling the band back and let yourself feel the stretch. Do this until you reach the point just between effort and ease.
Remember to bend your knees very slightly so you won’t get injured. Repeat this step 2-3 times on both legs for 30-seconds each.
Stretch #2: The Seated Straddle
This time, you’ll start in a seated position with your feet spread wide apart as far as you can. Do this while sitting up straight while drawing your belly and ribs in. Slowly fold your body forward while extending your hands and reaching out to the floor.
It is recommended that you continue doing this while you feel your hamstrings being stretched. Hold this position for a minute or more.
Stretch #3: The Pigeon Pose
Get on the floor with your left leg right in front of you at a 45-degree angle. Your right leg, on the other hand, should lie straight behind you. While maintaining the position, lean your body slowly over your front leg and feel a gentle pressure on your hips. For a deeper stretch, keep your front leg parallel to the mat.
Stretch #4: The Bridge
Next, you need to lay down on your back with your knees bent and your hands resting along your side. Put your weight on your heels and start raising your hips toward the ceiling. Keep your upper back and shoulders resting on the floor. Your knees, on the other hand, should have at least a fist-width apart. Hold this for five seconds before lowering your hips down to the floor. Two rounds of this should do.
Stretch #5: The Forward Fold
Lastly, you need to fold your body in half over both your legs. To avoid pulling a muscle, keep your knees slightly bent. Now, grab opposite elbows while you lightly swing back and forth.
This exercise is also great if you’re experiencing back pain.
Conclusion
CrossFit exercises are meant to push you to your limits with the maximum amount of work done in the shortest amount of time. With a workout that intense, cooling down after is mandatory and can be immensely beneficial to you.
Doing static stretches will help you recover and lessen some of the muscle soreness you might be experiencing after an intense workout. While doing stretches on your own is ideal, having a professional guide you while you do this is a lot better.
Whether you want to improve your mobility or you just want to reduce the pain after working out, you will need the help of a flexologist. Stretch Studio has a team of certified flexologists offering assisted stretching services in Sydney. We are Australia’s first one-on-one assisted stretching studio! Book a stretch today and reap the benefits of professional stretching.