subject: The Importance of Stretching Exercises Before and After Workouts [print this page] The Importance of Stretching Exercises Before and After Workouts
If you are on a weight loss through exercise routines or just maintaining your body shape, stretching should also be part of it. While not directly related to weight loss stretching is an important part of exercising because it is necessary to properly prepare the body for what's to come.
Before you start your workout take some time to stretch your body to avoid possible injury. But before you even start stretching you should warm up your body with light cardio or aerobic activities to get your body and muscles to their working temperature. Warm up also increases your heart and respiratory rate, boosts the amount of oxygen and nutrients delivered to your muscles, prepares the body for the workout and allows you to have more effective workout.
You can warm-up for 5-10 minutes doing exercises that you are about to do but with lower intensity. For example, if you are about to run on a treadmill you can do a slow jog for example. After warm-up it is time to stretch your muscles. Stretching improves the range of motion and reduces the risk of injury for your joints, tendons and muscle fibers.
It is important to stretch all major muscles groups in your body:
Shoulders (deltoid and rotator cuff)
Back (muscles of the lower, middle and upper back)
Thighs (harmstring and quad)
Calves (gastrocnemius and soleus)
Arms (biceps, triceps and forearm muscles)
Just as there are many different types of flexibility there are different types of stretching. But they can all be summed down to two main types - dynamic (includes motion) and static (no motion). Static stretching includes stretching individual muscles at a time with the task to sufficiently lengthen the muscle. Take the stretch position and hold it for 10-30 seconds. Care should be taken to avoid bobbing or forcing because it can damage the muscle.
Dynamic stretching which includes joint and body part movements should also be done with care. Using the momentum to force body or limb movements beyond its normal range of motion is considered dangerous. That is why you should gradually increase reach and speed of movement. The proper way to stretch is to slowly swing your arm or leg or twist your torso to the limits of your range of motion avoiding bounces or jerky movements.
Just as you warmed up and stretched your body to prepare it for intensive workout routine you should take care to gradually cool it down after the workout. Light 5-10 minutes cardio workout and stretching can help slow your heart rate and breathing to its regular pace, avoid stiffness and soreness in the muscles, reduce risk of dizziness and lightheadedness and to relax the muscles.
Do you want to read more about stretching exercises and different types of stretching?
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