If you want to use a treadmill to help burn calories and lose weight then it is really important that you stretch your muscles before you start exercising. Stretching helps to prevent injuries which could reduce your performance and the effectiveness of your workout.
Ideally, you will stretch right before you begin to walk on your treadmill and again afterwards. Stretching before your workout will help with your flexibility, and stretching afterward will also help prevent injury.
Here are some excellent ways to ensure that your muscles are not injured while using your treadmill:
1. The first mistake many people make is to try and stretch too far. If you are in pain then you have stretched too far! It is much better to stretch to a position that you find comfortable, and then hold this stance for between 15 - 20 seconds.
2. Breathe through your stretches. Some people hold their breath during their stretch routines, but when you practice deep breathing exercises, it helps you perform a deeper stretch for your muscles.
3. Warm up your muscles before you stretch. Some people believe that stretching is the warm-up. But you should walk or jog for a few minutes to get the blood flowing and then begin to stretch.
4. After your workout, you can stretch after you take a warm bath or shower. The hot water will help relax your muscles, and the after workout stretch will feel good.
5. You may have seen professional athletes bouncing while they stretch, but you should never ever do this! Bouncing during stretching exercises can actually cause serious injuries to your muscles rather than prevent injuries.
The most important muscles that you need to stretch are not always your leg muscles. Of course, it is important to stretch your calf muscles, quadriceps, and hamstrings, but you also need to stretch her shoulders, abs, neck, and back. Believe it or not, walking on a treadmill provides a full body workout.
Don't just bend over and hang, trying to touch your toes. Add some additional stretches, such as the splits, lunges, and calf stretches where you stand on the edge of a step or curb and drop your heels to the point right before it becomes uncomfortable.
Whenever you stretch, make your movements slow and precise for the best results. You want to keep some tension on the muscles to help them stretch, but never stretch to the point where you're in pain.

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Treadmill walking to lose weight is a fantastic first step after you get those muscles stretched! Get treadmill workout strategies including detailed reviews of the best rated treadmills here.

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