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	Improve Your Range of Motion and Posture Your range of motion refers to how far you can move a joint in any direction. Increasing your flexibility strengthens your joints, reduces your risk of injury, and enhances your balance. Developing a Stretching Routine Stretching increases your flexibility by working your muscles and tendons. Some studies suggest that stretching may also increase your muscle mass and endurance. 1. Warm up. Stretching warm muscles is safer and easier. Do most of your stretching at the end of your workout. If you like to stretch in advance, warm up first. 2. Proceed gradually. Gentle stretching yields faster results than pushing yourself too hard. When you force a stretch, you create scar tissue in your body that limits your mobility. Skip any exercise that causes sudden discomfort. Talk with your doctor if you have any concerns. 3. Vary your approach. Your body needs time to adapt to unfamiliar movements. Sometimes you may want to hold a stretch for a few minutes or more. Other times, you might repeat a cycle of brief stretches several times. It also helps to learn a wide variety of stretches that you can use on different days. 4. Take your time. When you hold a stretch for a minute or more, you will often notice that your body eventually relaxes into the position. Take advantage of that opportunity to extend it a little further. 5. Even things out. It's common for one side of your body to be more limber than the other. You may also be relatively loose in the shoulders but tight in the legs or vice versa. Use your routine to correct imbalances. 6. Open your hips. Stiff hips are a trouble spot for many people. Try sitting in a cobbler pose. Sit on the floor with the soles of your feet pressed together and lower your knees as far as possible. 7. Loosen up your back. Stretching eases back pain. Sit on the edge of a chair and bend forward. Take turns arching and rounding your back. Enhancing Your Posture Your habitual posture also affects your range of motion. Slouching tends to shorten your tendons and round your shoulders. Good posture prevents this and also helps to protect your lower back. Also, use exercises that strengthen your core muscles. 1. Pull your abs in. Pulling in your abs strengthens the transverse abdominals and internal obliques. It also reduces the compression on your spine. The increased strength and reduced compression will improve your posture and protect your lower back. 2. Do squatting movements. Squatting movements include a variety of exercises from barbell squats to getting up from a bench. These exercises build lower body strength, coordination, and functional flexibility. Many of them also force you to use good posture. 3. Sit less. Excessive sitting weakens your abs and spinal erectors while shortening your hamstrings. These are bad for your posture or lower back. Stand up and walk around whenever you can, especially if your work requires a lot of sitting. Improving your range of motion and posture will create major benefits. They will improve your athletic ability and resistance to injury. Other articles

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