At Prime Time for Women, we always say Walking to Wellness is “Where Health Happens & Connections Matter!”  Our members will tell you they get stronger, healthier and happier every week!

Over the past 3 ½ years of walking together every week at the indoor track at Hagerstown Community College, our members have become more than casual exercise partners…they have become real friends, companions on the journey of life.  They share their ups and downs, their joys and struggles, their health concerns and recoveries and healthy recipes and exercise tips.  With support and understanding from each other, they have experienced tons of fun and a kind of resilience which isn’t possible alone.

Speaking of exercise tips, I recently read an article that reminded me that exercise is more than cardio and strength training.  The article stressed the importance of stretching, which if I’m honest, I often overlook.   But after just celebrating my 68^th birthday, I better understand why stretching is so important.  While stretching may not burn calories or get my heart racing or leave my muscles burning, consistent stretching can make a noticeable difference in how my body feels and moves each day.

Whether you’re an avid exerciser or simply looking to move more comfortably in daily life, making time to stretch can be transformative. Along with improved flexibility, stretching can lead to many health benefits including:

• Improved balance
• Increased range of motion in joints
• Enhanced circulation
• Reduced muscle stiffness and tension
• Improved physical performance
• Injury prevention
• Improved posture
• Stress relief

These benefits make stretching an essential part of a healthy lifestyle! According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM):

• Healthy adults should do flexibility exercises (stretches, yoga, or tai chi) for all major muscle-tendon groups—neck, shoulders, chest, trunk, lower back, hips, legs, and ankles—at least two to three times a week.
• For optimal results, you should spend a total of 60 seconds on each stretching exercise. So, if you can hold a particular stretch for 15 seconds, repeating it three more times would be ideal. If you can hold the stretch for 20 seconds, two more repetitions would do the trick.

Tai Chi, which is easily adapted to all fitness levels, is a great way to stretch. My husband and I recently took a Tai Chi class which met twice a week for 5 weeks.  It was both fun and challenging!  If I’m honest the most challenging part for me is remembering the 24 different poses…but hey, that’s good for my brain!

Incorporating regular stretching into your daily or weekly routine doesn’t require a lot of time, but the rewards can be significant. If you want to learn more about improving your flexibility, read Stretching, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School…you’ll be glad you did!