Adding flexibility exercises to your workout can help prevent injury during fitness routines as well as make your workouts more effective. When deciding on a diet and fitness plan, many tend to ignore flexibility routines, which can cool you down and help your body recover after an intense workout. The medical weight loss specialists at your weight loss center in Beverly Hills can provide you with detailed instructions including ways to stretch, which muscles are important to stretch and the amount of time that is best for you to stretch each muscle. You should only stretch muscles until you feel tension, and not to the point of pain. Flexibility exercises should be performed several times per week.

The most important thing to remember is to warm up before stretching. Stretching cold muscles can contribute to injury, and poor workouts. Taking part in a low-impact aerobic activity for five to ten minutes prior to a workout will help keep the muscles from straining. After warming up, muscles are ready for a more intense workout.

Focusing on your breathing during exercise is also an important goal. With calm breathing, muscles have less of a tendency to tense up and cause strain. When beginning flexibility exercises, only hold your stretches for up to ten seconds, until you become stronger and your muscles get used to the stretching.

Cooling down after a workout is as important as warming up beforehand. While you are relaxing your breathing and cooling down, partake in some flexibility exercises while the muscles are loose and warmed up. Pilates, tai chi and yoga are also great classes to take to promote flexibility.