Saturday, November 13, 2010

Is Stretching an Option?

We’ve all heard that stretching should be incorporated before and after exercising, but why all that fuss about it? Simply it's because you can benefit from it for various reasons.

Stretching improves your circulation, prevent soreness and injury and help in elongating your muscles if you are lifting weights. For stretches between exercises, holding a mere of 15 to 20 seconds is actually enough, this is called stretching for recovery. Now after cardio or at the end of a lifting session, a more complete stretching routine is necessary in order to improve our flexibility. Thus, stretching is appropriate between exercises as well as after exercising. Stretching also protects your joints and allow for full range of motion by loosening stiff muscles.

You should note that stretching before at least warming up is not something you want to do. Wait at least 3 to 5 minutes after you begin warming up or working out before you stretch because stretching a cold muscle can actually increase your risk of injury.

So you see, don't ever tell me that you don't have time to stretch before and after workouts, it’s not that stretching is optional, it should actually fit in perfectly in your work out!

Check this photo below and get a small idea of many ways to stretch, each for different part of your body.
Click here for more stretching ideas!

Reference Bachir Mickael.

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