Have you ever had a tough workout and once you are done, you think to yourself “I just don’t feel like taking that extra ten minutes to stretch and cool down?” I am not afraid to admit that I have been there before. It was not until working at a physical therapy facility, last summer, that I realized the necessity and benefits of stretching. Here are the tips for acing Stretching 101!
Benefits of Stretching
- Increased Range of Motion
Stretching leads to various benefits from increased balance to increased flexibility. The more flexible your muscles are, the greater your daily activities will be. Flexibility decreases with age, which means everyday tasks that may seem so simple, such as tying your shoes and lifting a chair, will only get harder as life progresses. Regular stretching can help to maintain good joint range of motion, so that you can better maintain your flexibility when you are older.
- Improved Blood Circulation
Stretching helps to increase blood flow to your muscles. This is key to improving recovery and preventing muscle injuries. Thermoregulation helps to nourish your muscle tissue so that you can best ward off injuries.
- Stress Relief
Picture preventing injury and getting stress relief at the same time, a win-win, right? Yes! Stretching not only provides the great benefits above, but it also helps to relax tight and tense muscles that are often the epicenters of stress!
How to Stretch
1. Get Warmed Up! It is best to stretch during the cool down portion of a workout, which is usually the very last part for people. The reason for this is that stretching, when your muscles are cool, increases the risk of pulling muscles, only increasing risk of injury. Simply walking for five minutes can be enough of a warm up to get your blood flowing.
2. 30-Second Minimum It is important to hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds and even longer for problem areas or tight muscles. It can help to have a sports watch to keep track of time because it often feels like you’ve been stretching for longer than you actually have been.
3. Don’t Fight the Pain! If stretching causes you pain, you’re doing it WRONG! It is important to find that happy medium, where there is some discomfort, not pain. Pain is your body telling you that the stretching is no longer helping, only hurting your muscles.
4. Relax! In order to optimize your stretches, it is important to breath freely while stretching. rather than hold your breath. Being relaxed, will only lead to a greater stretch and muscular range of motion.
5. Beware of Bouncing! Some people often think that bouncing, while stretching, will lead to a better muscular stretch. However, bouncing can actually cause microtears in the muscle. This will cause scar tissue to grow as your muscle heals itself, which will tighten your muscle, thus hindering flexibility. Also, this bouncing often causes pain, yikes!
Keep these tips in mind next time you cool down after a workout. Start Stretching!