Stretching helps you get physically fit and keeps you young – but too much of it can cause Belly Button Pain! Learn the 5 warning signs you need to stop doing whatever it is you are doing that is making your stretch marks appear and learn 3 simple ways to stop belly button pain forever!

There are many different ways you can do your stretches. But there’s one way that seems to work better than all the rest and it’s the way that feels good to you. Don’t be a dummy do what feels good!

Let’s face it not all stretching is equal. Some stretching is forced while other stretching is enjoyable. And some stretching is necessary while other stretching is totally avoidable.

How You Look At The Exercise!

Here’s an example: Say you want to increase your arm size. To do this you must stretch your bicep muscles. To force the stretch, you might use an elastic band or exercise ball. This works… but it’s not very enjoyable. It’s also not very effective.

The same is true for all types of stretching. If you have a tight muscle, you have to work it until it’s loose. But, how you work it is just as important as what you work it with. If you use weights, you have to use them with “go-for-it” attitude or else you’ll just end up getting massive muscle soreness.

Let’s talk about belly button pain

When you first start working out, you may experience some discomfort when you stretch certain muscles. This is normal. What you should do is stop the exercise and wait till the discomfort goes away. Then keep going. Don’t be a dummy like me do what feels good and never stop because of “belly button pain”.

Let’s face it:

If you are like most people, you have weak abdominal muscles. That’s why so many celebrities have such huge bellies. It’s also why men have a hard time losing their belly fat even when they eat less than women.

The reason your abdominal muscles are weak is simple: You don’t use them enough. So the solution is easy: Just use them more. And the best way to do this is by stretching.

I was talking with someone the other day who said he didn’t have much time for exercise. I asked him why not. His answer? “Belly button pain.” I told him he was making a terrible mistake. Exercise not only makes you strong it makes you immune to “belly button pain”. In fact, if anything more exercise makes it less likely you will ever experience this discomfort.

The truth is if you use proper form there’s virtually no way you will ever experience belly button pain when you stretch. Even if you use an elastic band or exercise ball. The reason is simple: You’re not actually stretching the muscle at all. You’re stretching the connective tissue which binds the muscle together.

And, that’s good. Because, it’s the connective tissue which gets stronger and looser as you exercise and it’s the connective tissue which makes your muscles big and strong.

Remember: When you first start working out, you have to force the muscle to become loose but after a while, you have to force the connective tissue to become loose and then the muscle will be ready to grow.

By the way, stretching does not increase the size of a muscle. It only makes it more pliable. So, the only way to make a muscle bigger is to work it harder.

Now, let’s talk about another type of stretching that is necessary and totally unavoidable. Say you are training for a marathon and you want to get into great shape. What you do is run a lot of miles and you do it over and over. Eventually, your body gets used to the stress of the running and it stops getting tight. That’s good. But, it also means your muscles stop getting stronger. They stay loose which makes them more prone to injury.

This is where proper form really pays off. You see, as you run, your body naturally adopts an “economy” running position. This is the position where it uses the least amount of energy. And, it’s the position your body automatically assumes when you are not running.

But, running causes your body to forget this natural position. So, every time you run, you have to consciously force your body back into an efficient, “stronger” running position.

To do this, what you do is force your feet into a “striking” position. Your foot should be placed just slightly ahead of your body… with the outer edge of your foot touching the ground and your heel cocked up a little and your toes slightly curled under.

This is called the “starting block” position and it is used by boxers and runners alike because it is the most efficient position from which to deliver a powerful blow to the ground with every step.

Here’s something else you should know:

When you are standing still, your body naturally wants to be in an “upright” position. That’s why when you are sitting in a chair, you automatically tend to sit up straight. It’s the same with running. You have to consciously keep your body in an upright position or else you will start to get very stiff and prone to injury.

Here’s something else:

As you can see, all of these positions are somewhat uncomfortable. That’s because they are forcing your body into a new configuration and it takes time for your body to get used to these positions.