Benefits of Stretching
Cats do it naturally, all their lives. we could learn from them. The lion is doing a passive stretch…… for the kill.
One thing I tell my clients of any age is how important it is to stretch BEFORE, DURING and AFTER working out.
BEFORE - It’s not what we traditionally think of as stretching. Its more loosening up. Getting the muscles, tendons and ligaments to begin moving more. Move the part(s) of your body that are going to be exercising in full range of motion so they are ready for the exercises you’re going to be asking them to do. NEVER do an active stretch of a cold muscle (i.e., before you have exercised it).
DURING - This is a passive stretch of each muscle group after each set of an exercise whether you’re doing traditional weight training, functional training or cardio. I aids hypertrophy (actual muscle growth). Muscle cells can grow in two primary ways: size and number. This aids in number of muscle cells which makes you stronger and bigger.
AFTER - This is what we have traditional called “stretching”. It is an active stretch of the body as a whole, especially the parts of the body that received the most stress of the exercises.
"1. Increased Circulation
While it is widely debated whether or not stretching prevents injury, it has been proven to increase circulation. Although stretching does not necessarily directly prevent injury from overuse, it does increase the blood flow and supply of nutrients to muscles and cartilage. This reduces muscle soreness after working out. The less sore your muscles are, the less painful it will be to work the same muscles and to exercise in general, and the more comfortable your day-to-day life will be.
2. Flexibility
There are four main measures of overall fitness: aerobic, muscular, body composition and flexibility. The main way to increase your flexibility is by stretching.
As you age, your muscles gradually become shorter and tighter, reducing your overall flexibility. This restriction makes you more susceptible to muscle, tendon and joint injuries. Stretching is primarily responsible for increasing flexibility, and reduces these risks. Increased flexibility also allows you to exercise more easily.
3. Increased Range of Motion
Stretching has been shown to effectively increase range of motion in joints. Better range of motion enables you to keep better balance. Better balance means you are less susceptible to falls and the resulting injuries (of particular importance as you age). Increased range of motion also helps to keep you up and moving.
4. Reduce Stress
Everyone has stress. Everyone is constantly looking for new methods of relief. Like all types of exercise, flexibility exercises like stretching have powerful stress-busting abilities. Stress causes your muscles to contract, becoming tense. This tension can have negative effects on just about every part of your body. Gentle stretching exercises relax tense muscles associated with stress. Also, since stretching is an exercise, it has the same endorphin-boosting effects, improving your mood and the way you feel in general.
5. Alleviate Lower Back Pain
Millions of people struggle with chronic lower back pain. Stretching is an excellent way to strengthen the lower back muscles, alleviating soreness and pain. Since many muscles (quadriceps, hamstrings, lower back muscles and hip flexors) contribute to your posture, stretching these muscles has the ability to greatly reduce or eliminate lower back pain.
The truth of whether or not stretching prevents injury can change from one day to the next, depending on what expert you're consulting. However, the fact still remains that stretching has numerous benefits outside of preventing injury. You can live a more comfortable daily life, increase your flexibility and alleviate stress and pain just by doing a few stretches before, after or separate from your workout."
