Intro to Fitness- STRETCHING

Fitness involves the movement of any muscle you plan on toning. In order to be safe, you must stretch properly before any exercise. Many people thing stretching is the first thing to do when working out. However, warm -ups are important to get the body loose for stretching. The purpose of warm-ups includes: keeping muscles supple, increasing range of motion of joints, enhancing flexibility, improving coordination, increasing body temperature and heart rate, increasing blood flow to muscles and preventing injuries. Once warm-ups are complete, you may begin stretching. It does not matter what you stretch first, I would start with the arms. Stretching the shoulders and wrists is very important. Interlace your fingers and turn your palms outward. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds. This stretches both your wrists and your shoulders. It is also important to stretch the tripceps and waist. In order to do this, extend your arms above your head and place one elbow behing your head. Hold until you feel a slight pull.
Stretching your ankles is importnat and sounds impossible, but it's actually easy! Simple rotate each foot 8-10 times in a clockwise motion, and then change to counter clockwise. This stretch is very important if you are planning on going for a run. Your legs are probably the most important part of your body to stretch before working out. Without your legs, how much working out could you do? Not much. So begin by stretching the calf. Find a wall or flat, vertical surface, and put pressure on the toes. Then move up to stretching your thighs. Lunges are usually the best exercise for the thighs. Place one foot in front of you, and then stretch the opposite leg behing you. Put all of your weight on the front leg.
After these simple exercises, you should be ready for your workout!