Stretching
Secrets Revealed
If you are like many exercise enthusiasts, you already know the power of proper stretching. When you are beginning an exercise routine, however, you may not have placed much emphasis on stretching…yet. Read on for information that may just make you an avid fitness expert in stretching.
Stretching the muscles, both before and after exercise is crucial to a good fitness program. Muscles need to be warmed up prior to their use, and cooled down after use. People who do not do proper stretching will reap the rewards of injury to cold muscles, and then they wonder why.
Stretch your muscles. By doing so you will pump more blood into the area that needs it. This increased blood flow allows more oxygen to the muscles that you will be using, thereby reducing the chance of injury. The stretches should be to the point of a “comfortable” pain, and held for approximately 1 minute. Any longer and you risk injuring the muscle, any less time and you risk not adequate warm up.
You should never bounce when performing any stretch. Bouncing can tear muscles or strain them enough that they will tear during the course of training. A slow stretching routine for each muscle group is key. The total time of stretching, before you begin your exercise routine, should be a minimum of 10 minutes.
It is just as important to stretch whether you are on a resistance training program or body building. Whether taking a boot camp workout, or yoga. Even when simply going for a walk, stretching is vital. There are many different muscles involved with the various types of exercises we do. It is essential to target those muscles when stretching, ensuring they are properly warm before putting them to work.
Stretch before going for a run by warming up your leg muscles with some time on a stationary bike, or walking up and down a few flights of stairs. This also gets the blood pumping. You could add some slow toe touches to limber up your lower back and hamstrings. Tight hamstrings can also create problems with your lower back. So often we experience problems that stem from an area of our bodies other than where the pain is felt.
Considering the time it takes to recover from injury, stretching is something that should never be left out of any training routine. Stretch after your exercise routine to cool down the muscles, and lengthen the tendons. It also releases the lactic acid built up, and prevents muscle injury and soreness the next day.
As you can see, stretching can be something that prevents injury. Personal fitness trainers and fitness experts agree – stretch before you exercise, and afterward.
If you are looking for more ways to unique workout methods and nutritional strategies to slash body fat and take your body to a whole new level of leanness, look here.
