Caroline X.
Because I do my stretching first thing after I’ve woken up and had a sip of water, I prefer a soft stretch. I don’t want anything intense, just good enough to loosen me up and start the day.
Zachary F.
I didn’t really come up with this metaphor, but I believe it’s from ‘The Artist’s Way’. A tiger doesn’t worry about the intensity of how it stretches. It does it immediately upon waking up and just spreads it’s body however feels good at that moment. If the tiger didn’t do that, then maybe it wouldn’t be so apt to catch it’s prey later. If you have pets, you see this, first thing they do is stretch their body as far as they can from a few different angles. When I stretch, especially in the beginning, to start my day, that’s how I do it, I reach as far as I could out to the side and up and down and back and straighten my legs, curling and uncurling my toes, spreading and expanding as much as I can and it feels good, it never pushes it too far. There is something to be said about a constant practice of yoga, I’d say that’s different than stretching. But for this, I try to be like the tiger.
Tha S Z.
A mix of both. It depends on why I’m stretching. If I’m just waking up in the morning and trying to get some energy than a soft stretch is all I need but if I’m stretching for a workout I want to make sure all the muscles I’m about to use have been properly stretches out before I start or if I’m going for a run I need to make sure I’m not going to be injured.
Soline P.
It depends on how my body feels. I generally try an 11 minute routine but sometimes it's just a quick series in bed before I get up.
Emma W.
I prefer an intense one. I am a dancer so stretching is always good for me and it also makes me feel really good afterwards
L Rke F.
I prefer soft stretchy because it allows me to connect with my body and to give myself a chance to do more over the long-term.
An intense stretch would be more of an exercise routine like if I was doing Zumba or something like that and that’s just not what I think stretching is about.
Carl X.
I think the best way to answer that is to say that it changes based on what my body/muscles are feeling that I need. The key is listening carefully to the signals and messages that your body is sending and then adjust/respond as necessary.
