Can you ever consider stretching exercises to burn calories and weight loss?
Stretching is traditionally known for improving flexibility and for warming up muscles before doing a workout.
From nourishing the muscles with more oxygen to providing a flexible body, stretching has innumerable benefits.
And people often do 15-20 minutes of stretching before they begin their strenuous workout.
But when it comes to burning calories, resistance and aerobic exercises are what steals the show.
So, does it mean stretching is all about just preparing you to exercise or can it actually help you to lose some calories as well?
Let’s find out.
Does Stretching Burn Calories?
Stretching is like a starter course. It increases your hunger and makes you ready for what’s coming.
We all know that stretching is an overall fitness program that requires a lot of body movements.
Hence, stretching exercise provides optimum movement of joints, better blood flow to muscles, decreased risk of muscle injury, and low stress as well.
Above all, since it is an act of movement, stretching can burn calories too.
But how does stretching burn calories?
As long as you can successfully incorporate stretching into an exercise program, you can burn calories just by doing stretching.
To elaborate, static stretching is just for relaxing and is slower in motion.
Whereas, dynamic stretching is recommended by the experts if you wish to burn extra calories and lose weight.
But why dynamic stretching?
It’s because dynamic stretching is a combination of repeated controlled motion that helps increase body temperature, increase heart rate, stretch important muscle groups, and increase the blood flow more rigorously.
Thus, stretching helps burn more calories.
Dynamic stretching also increases the range of motion and works more or less like cardio.
But how many calories can be burned while stretching? Let’s find out.
How Many Calories Does Stretching Burn?
Your body constantly burns calories. You even lose calories while sitting; so, doing some physical activity increases the rate of burning it.
Honestly speaking, stretching is not a high-calorie burn activity. However, it still burns a lot of calories. This completely depends on how rigorously and actively you take on it.
#1. For a 125-pound person, performing 30 minutes stretching routine can help burn 70 calories and 28 calories by merely sitting quietly.
#2. For a 150 pound person, performing 30 minutes stretching routine can help burn 85 calories and 34 calories by just sitting quietly.
#3. For a 200 pound person, performing 30 minutes stretching routine can help burn 113 calories and 45 calories by sitting quietly.
Notably, if you want more calories to be burned while stretching, you can incorporate them into your gym workout routine using different types of equipment like foam rolls and stretching bands.
With that being said, let’s have a look at some of the stretching exercises that can help burn calories.
10 Stretching Exercises That Burn Calories
Stretching is far more powerful than most people realize. It not only makes you flexible but also helps you reach body-weight goals.
Perform the following exercises to increase the calories burned with stretching for 30 minutes.
#1. Side Lunge
This stretching exercise targets hip flexors, hamstrings, and quads.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Until your leg is at 90 degrees, lunge your right leg to the side.
- Now your right foot is on the floor and your left leg is extended towards the left.
- Slightly lean your upper body forward.
- Try to hold this position for 30 seconds then switch sides.
#2. Arm Circles
This stretching exercise increases your blood flow and raises your heartbeat which helps burn more calories.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms parallel to the floor.
- In small controlled motions, move your arms forward in a circle.
- Gradually try to make bigger circles.
- You can make backward circles as well.
- Practice 15-20 repetitions.
#3. Bear Crawl
Bear crawl engages your core and uses every tiny muscle of your body.
- Start on all your fours.
- Lift your knees an inch above the ground and keep them at 90 degrees.
- Keep your legs at hip-width apart and arms shoulder-width apart.
- Move one hand and the opposite leg forward while keeping your back flat and staying low on the ground.
- Switch the hands and legs and start crawling the same way.
- Alternating your arms and shoulders, crawl for the desired distance.
#4. Triceps Stretch
It targets your abs, back, shoulders, and triceps.
- Stand with your feet apart and stretch your arms upwards.
- Bend your right elbow and hold it with your left hand.
- Gently pull your elbow towards your head.
- Hold the position for 25-30 seconds, and then switch the sides.
#5. Downward Facing Dog
This pose stretches your back, arms, shoulders, core, and hips.
- Start with your hands and knees.
- Exhale and straighten your arms and knees.
- Push the floor with your heels and keep your head downwards and look towards your feet.
- Maintain this pose for 20 seconds.
#6. Triangle Pose
This pose targets your hips, legs, obliques, and chest.
- Stand with feet hip-width apart.
- Keep your right foot straight and turn your left foot at 45 degrees.
- Spread your arms outwards towards the side and keep them parallel to the floor.
- Exhale and bend to your left trying to touch your left knee and ankle if possible.
- Keep your right arm towards the sky and try to look towards the sky.
- Hold the position for 30 seconds and then switch sides.
#7. Bow Pose
It specifically targets your hips, abs, and back.
- Lie on your stomach and stretch your hands at the back.
- Bend your knees and try to hold your ankle with your hands.
- Try to stretch it towards the sky and balance on your abs.
- Hold this position for 30 seconds.
#8. Cobra Pose
This stretching exercise works your abs, shoulders, and back.
- Lie on your stomach and keep your arms on the sides.
- Keep your hands straight and lift your upper body.
- Lean your head back and hold this position for 30 seconds.
#9. Butterfly Stretch
This particular stretch works on the most ignored muscles, i.e., inner thighs.
- Sit on a yoga mat with your back straight.
- Now bring both your feet together and drop the knees so that the soles face each other.
- Next, flutter your knees like butterfly wings.
- Do it for one minute and repeat it 3 times at the first and then gradually increase the repetitions.
#10. Bridge Pose
This stretching pose is effective for your back muscles, hips, thighs, and glutes.
- Lie on your back with knees bent at 90 degrees.
- Lift your body upwards.
- And while you do that, press your shoulders on the floor.
- Hold this pose for 30 seconds and repeat it 3-5 times.
If you perform these stretching exercises and poses, your calories burned during stretching will increase as compared to other static stretching exercises.
Adding to this, with this type of stretching exercise, you can burn around 135-200 calories in 30 minutes depending upon your weight.
However, stretching alone is not enough if you are looking for intense calorie burn and magical weight loss.
Hence, if you want more effective results, try to extend your stretching time and incorporate it into your gym workouts.
So, does stretching burn calories?
Yes, indeed! But only if done the right way.
In A Nutshell
If you have not been taking stretching seriously, it’s time you should.
And even though it isn’t as impressive as burning 600-900 calories by running and cycling, its importance can’t be ignored. If you are into weight loss, you know losing every single calorie matters.
Try to incorporate more movement-oriented stretching exercises to burn more calories. This way you’d be able to work on more muscles. And try to stick with it 3 times a week.
Moreover, stretching has some added benefits:
- It balances the digestive system, hence, improves metabolism.
- It has a significant role in reducing stress. This, as a matter of fact, can help you lose weight.
- Each stretching pose involves various muscles which can assist in building muscles.
- Stretching works as a shield and prevents muscle tears.
So, stretch your boundaries a little more if you want to achieve your goals.
Hope you’ve liked this blog. Do leave your thoughts in the comments section and don’t forget to share the blog with your exercise buddies.
ALSO READ: Stretching Before and After a Workout