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Be sure your blood is flowing before you start your stretches by doing some light physical activity or do some warmups. Stretching will reduce the risk of injury before exercise or your physical activity routines by increasing your flexibility. As you age your flexibility is reduced, especially if you've been leading a sedentary lifestyle, so you should make it a part of your everyday routines anyway. Try and do enough reps to completely stretch the muscle and hold all of them for 20 seconds or so on your last rep. Don't stretch to the point of pain either. I never start my day without these stretches, even if it's an off workout day. * Begin by slowly rolling your shoulders and neck. Now swing both arms separately and gently in a windmill type motion which will bring your arm past your hip each time to make the full large circle. Do it both forward and backwards. Then put your arms straight out from your sides and rotate your arms in a tight softball size circular motion. * With both hands on your hips while standing straight, slowly bend to the left and right without bending forward, keeping your shoulderblades even with your buttocks while your leaning. Hold each bend for 5 to 15 seconds. * Another form of this routine is to stand the same as above, only this time instead of bending to the right and left, you are going to slowly twist your torso in a circular manner while bringing your body down towards the floor. No hold time but do it very slowly. * Stand with a straight posture and lift your arms above your head. Raise yourself up onto the tips of your toes and stretch it. Try to hold it in the up position for a period then lower yourself down and repeat. * Again with a good straight posture, bend down as far as you can and try to touch your toes. Hold, then raise up touching your hips again and raising your arms up over your head. Lower arms back down to hips then back down to toes. Repeat and always hold for a 10 second period in down position. * This routine is not only a great stretch, but can also reduce those annoying love handles while building your calve muscles. Any kind of solid surface will suffice as long as it's at about your waist level. Stand erect with one of your hips toward surface and place your hand palm down on top. Take your other arm and while lifting yourself up onto your tippy toes bend towards palm down arm. Your arm should be in a half moon shape. Raise yourself up and down alternating both sides and repeat enough for good results. When you are finished stretching out your tight muscles and tendons you are ready to begin your fat reducing exercises or muscle building program safely. Be patient but persistent and you will reap great benefits, so don't try and do to much at once. Apply these stretching routines before all your activities, including normal physical activity. You should be feeling more nimble and healthy especially if you've finally made the decision to include exercise or physical activity routines into your daily life. Quality exercise combined with a quality diet program will give you the best chance possible to get to the proper weight and fit look you've been seeking.
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