It’s hard enough to stick to an exercise routine on a regular basis without having to contend with the numerous competing theories on how best to structure your training routine. It seems like whenever We bring up the topic of stretching, someone always has a different take on it than me.
Many people have strong objections to the idea, claiming that it is pointless and a waste of time. There are many who are completely convinced that it is an absolute must and that it will help avoid numerous injuries.
Contrary to popular belief, stretching is not a simple activity. There are many different types of stretching, and they all have their place in your workout routine.
Stretching may help your sore wrists from typing all day as well as your tight calf muscles.
So, should you stretch before working out? So that you can get back to what’s really important, working out, we are going to end the confusion once and for all by explaining where, when, and how stretching should be included into your workouts. We really think this will be of use to you.
Why bother stretching if it won’t help?
There are many health advantages to stretching, so even if you don’t exercise often, you should attempt to include it into your daily routine. If you stretch your muscles on a regular basis, you’ll be able to keep using your whole range of motion. Muscle tension, joint pain, and even injury are all possible outcomes of insufficient flexibility, since your muscles will be unable to extend to their entire range of motion.
Unfortunately, “stretching” isn’t as simple as it first seems. Passive stretching, active stretching, static stretching, and dynamic stretching are only some of the numerous kinds of stretching, and certain types are more beneficial at different times throughout your workout.
Most of your time is presumably spent in stationary stretches. For this, you’ll want to choose a position, like tapping your toes or crossing your arm across your chest to lengthen your shoulder, and hold it for 30 seconds. In contrast, dynamic stretching involves actively working a muscle through its complete range of motion many times (often between 10 and 20 times). Swinging one leg back and forth or rotating the trunk are also good ways to get the blood flowing to the back. Although the less common types of stretching might have benefits, they are seldom practised.
Should you warm up with stretching before hitting the gym?
You shouldn’t do static stretching before a workout, despite what your middle school PE instructor taught you, especially if you’ll be working your lower body. Due to the fact that your muscles haven’t yet warmed up, doing static stretching before exercise will not assist you prevent injury.
A comprehensive research found that when people did static stretching before their workouts, it decreased their strength, power, and explosive performance. Therefore, static stretching won’t prevent injuries and won’t make your workouts more productive.
Conclusion
Instead of sitting about doing nothing for the first ten to fifteen minutes of your exercise, get moving with a thorough warmup. (Consider options such as jumping jacks, brisk walking, or sprinting in place.) With your heart rate up and muscles warmed up from this little exercise, you’ll be prepared for more strenuous activity.
