If you think stretching is only for flexibility and loosening up all those tense muscles, then it looks like you haven’t heard about metabolic stretching. Basically metabolic stretching has double the benefits of usual stretching–it not just makes you agile but it also helps in major weight loss.
Metabolic stretching also increases your metabolism and helps in improving your stamina so that you can pull off those intense workout sessions. Plus, it helps in muscle activation and offers better contraction which ultimately results in fat loss and muscle gain as suggested by a study published in the journal Sports Medicine.
In fact, if you are dealing with a hormonal imbalance then metabolic stretching can be especially beneficial for you. According to a study published in the Journal of Human Kinetics, eight weeks of stretching helps in hormonal adaptation. So, basically it is a win-win situation.
That’s why we want you to learn these five stretches that will help you burn that stubborn fat in just 10 minutes every day.
1. Side lunge
So, if you have tried everything for toning your legs but nothing has worked then you need to give this stretch a shot. From your glutes, inner thighs, calves, and quads—side lunges work the entire leg.
Here’s how you can do it: Stand with your legs wide open. Now lunge to your right leg making a 90-degree angle and extend your left leg as much as you can. Hold it for 15 to 20 seconds and repeat it on the other side. Do at least 20 of these on each side for better effect.
2. Inner thigh stretches
Fat pockets always make their way to our innermost muscles, like inner thighs, and thus becomes all the more difficult to get rid of it. But with this butterfly stretch, all the muscles in your inner thighs will be activated, attacking all that cellulite.
Here’s how you can do it: Sit on a yoga mat with your back straight. Now bring the soles of your feet together. Drop your knees a little and now flutter them like butterfly wings. Do this at least for a minute and repeat it again for at least five times.
3. Downward facing dog
For your arms, shoulders, back, and hamstrings this one stretch is enough. The trick of this stretch lies in its posture and how long you can stay in it, because the longer you hold the pose, the more calories you’ll burn.
Here’s how you can do it: Get on all fours and try to make an inverted V with your body. Press your heels towards the floor and your head towards your feet. Hold this pose for 15 deep breaths and you are good to go.
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4. Sitting side bending
Your sides and lower back area have muscle groups that you need to stretch daily without fail. Sitting for long hours makes the muscles of these areas tense up, which at times leads to backaches.
Here’s how you can do it: Sit with your legs crossed on a yoga mat. Now raise your right hand and bend over to the left side. When you are bent to the maximum, hold the extension for 10 to 15 seconds and then repeat it on the other side. Do at least 20 of these bends on each side.
5. Triceps stretches
If you want to get rid of your flabby arms then doing triceps stretch is a must. Plus, it also helps in relaxing your upper arm muscles. Not to mention, a triceps stretch also works on your shoulders and traps and helps tone them too.
Here’s how you can do it: Raise your arms towards the sky. Now bend your right elbow and gently pull it towards your head with your left hand. Hold it for 20 seconds and repeat on the other side. Do this five to six times.
If you’re still not convinced, then hear what Ruchika Rai, a Mumbai-based women’s fitness and health coach and founder of the combat yogini programme has to say: “Stretching means less workout but more result as the muscle response better after stretching.”
So, what are you waiting for? Go and try these stretches and lose that weight right away.
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