Whenever I leave a cycle class, all I can think about is sprinting out of the gym and knocking off my daily to-do checklist, let alone think twice about stretching. With our crazy busy lives I give myself a pat on the back for getting to the gym some days. But I am rudely reminded as I peel myself out of bed the next morning the true importance stretching is! I immediately regret not taking that extra 10 minutes to stretch after completing a workout. My fatigued tight muscles scream for it! Stretching relieves pain, increases energy, flexibility, relaxation, posture, blood flow, and ultimately helps you reach your fitness goals. So why do we put stretching on the back burner?

Years ago I realized I could combine my sauna obsession with my “not so much of an obsession” of stretching; both at the same time, what a concept. The sauna is my happy place, the place where I feel Zen. Coming out of the sauna, I am always feeling revitalized… and unbelievably sweaty. The first time I saw someone stretching in the sauna, I have to admit, they looked a little funny but in the same moment I thought to myself “why didn’t I think of this?” Why not kill two birds with one stone? I soon started combining my beloved sauna time with my stretching. I quickly realized how much more flexible I am in the sauna. If you have not tried this yet it is a must! Saunas help increase your flexibility, detoxify your body, flush toxins, keep your skin looking young, increase blood flow, aid in weight loss, etc. So hop in a sauna and stretch it out, what do you have to lose?

What are some of your favorite places to stretch? Leave comments below!

Article by Kristin Troutman