Who else wants to stretch but does not have time?

In a previous post we talked about how to stretch smart. In it I revealed that I wasn’t a big proponent of stretching. Consider that I’ve been a running juggler since 1996 and have done little to no stretching. In that time I’ve had almost no downtime due to injury. Living proof that you don’t have to stretch to stay healthy.

But as age sets in and the joggling days and miles add up, I’m starting to re-think my position. Maybe there are benefits to stretching. After a little research, here’s what the “experts” say.

Benefits of stretching

+ Reduces injury risk
+ Releases muscle tension and soreness
+ Increases physical and mental relaxation
+ Allows greater freedom of movement and improved posture

Ok, so stretching could have some benefits. But the reason I don’t do much stretching is that there isn’t enough time. I’m already dedicating over 45 minutes a day to joggling not to mention the time need for dressing, undressing, and showering. Another 30 minutes, 3 times a week is too much. So, how do people fit it into their schedule?

Fitting stretching into a busy schedule

Here are some tips.

1. Do your stretching immediately after you shower or take a warm bath. Your muscles will be warmed up so you’ll be able to do it in less time.

2. Stretch before you get out of bed in the morning. A few full-body stretches will clear your mind and get you ready for your day.

3. Take a stretching class like yoga or tai chi. My wife is in a yoga class, maybe I should join her.

4. Stretch at your workstation. Stretches you can do at your desk include shoulder rolls, neck rolls, upper-body stretch, and wrist stretches. There’s also a book called Office Yoga. I don’t have it but it looked pretty good.

That’s it. After a bit more research, I’ll look into more tips on stretching for jugglers. I wonder if anyone’s written a book yet.

If anyone has any other tips about stretching leave a comment below or send me an email.

Joggle on.