Unless you are looking to get a thicker waist, including a stomach muscle stretch in your workout program is a necessity.
In all workout programs, the goal is usually to become stronger. This is best accomplished by performing an exercise that overloads the particular body part, causing it to break down slightly so when rest is given, it will grow back stronger. This process, when coupled with enough fuel from food, also usually causes a growth in muscle size. This is now where your stomach muscle stretch exercise comes in.
If you neglect to perform a stomach muscle stretch after the abs have been worked, they will not have undergone any type of lengthening process. In fact - quite the opposite. They will have contracted as this is what resistance exercise does. If you do this enough times, you will start to see the abs becoming wider hence increasing the thickness of your waist. For the majority of people, women in particular, this is something that should be avoided. By taking some time lengthening the abs after they have been worked you can help reduce the chances that they will grow back thicker but still encourage an increase in strength.
Remember that when performing this lengthening exercise, only go so far as is comfortable. You should never feel sharp pain when stretching but rather a gentle pull. Also try and hold the position for as long as you can as this will help to increase the flexibility even more.
You also do not always have to wait until after a workout to do these exercises as any time you perform them you will get benefits. It could be as simple as doing them while laying on the floor watching TV at the end of the night. Definitely keep them in your routine for after the workout as this is the most important time but the more frequent you can do them the better.
