What should you do after exercise?

People often sweat profusely after exercising, and many people sit down to rest and drink water immediately because they are too tired. Little do people know that it is not just the process of exercise that is important, but also the follow-up work after the exercise. In addition to drinking water, stretching is essential to truly achieve fitness results. Properly cooling down after exercise can also relieve a lot of discomfort. Now I will tell you how to stretch after exercise.

1. Scapular extension

How to: Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Extend your left hand across your body with your elbow slightly bent. Fix your right hand on your left elbow, then bring your left arm toward your body until you feel the muscles in your shoulder tense. Switch sides and repeat the same action.

2. Upper back stretch

How to: Interlace your fingers, palms facing outward, raise your hands to chest height and straighten your arms, locking your elbows and pushing your shoulders forward.

3. Latissimus dorsi stretch

How to do it: Stand in front of a support that can support your body weight, grab it with both hands and lean back, bending your knees. Push your legs toward the ground and pull your arms back.

4. Pectoralis major stretch

How to: Stand next to a stable upright support. Place one hand behind the support, keeping your upper arm in line with your shoulder. Slowly push your body forward until you feel a stretch in your chest muscles.

5. Iliotibial band stretch

How to: Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart. Cross one foot over the other while raising the opposite arm overhead for balance. Repeat this action on the other side.

6. Piriformis stretch

How to do it: Sit on the ground with your legs straight. Bend one leg and cross it over the other leg, keeping the crossed leg straight and flat on the ground. Use one hand to support your body to stabilize it, and with the other hand, wrap your arms around the outside of your knees, then slowly apply pressure until you feel the iliotibial band being stretched.

Don’t underestimate stretching after exercise. Stretching plays a very important role in relieving muscle fatigue after exercise. Many people grow muscular legs when running because they lack stretching after exercise, so don't skip stretching just because you feel tired. Stretching not only improves body flexibility but also promotes blood circulation.