Benefits Of Stretching Exercises Before And After Training
Many individuals who are just starting in sports, or even those who have been doing sports for a while, do not give stretching the attention it needs. We often feel that it is only a supplement to training and that spending a few minutes on it is sufficient. But it isn’t like that; stretching is an important aspect of every training session. It has a number of advantages, the most important of which is that it helps us develop muscular flexibility, and so prevent muscle injuries.
Whatever activity we participate in, we are working with muscles that have a fairly basic operation: stretch and contract. As a result, proper stretching may help us decrease muscular tension, enhance flexibility, and provide a variety of other advantages, as we’ll see below.
Before Training, Stretch.
Warming up the muscles, which is not the same as stretching, is recommended before exercise. Most medical practitioners advise against stretching before sports because it may lower muscular strength, weaken muscles, and impair resistance, and there is no empirical proof that it lessens the risk of injury, according to this research. This has nothing to do with conducting a brief warm-up beforehand, which is highly suggested.
Warming up before a workout is critical in order to get our joints and central nervous systems operating properly. A solid warm-up will help us lower the chance of injury and increase our performance throughout the workout. However, there is no standard warm-up, and we must tailor it to the activity that follows. Although it is beneficial to warm up all joints, rowers and swimmers should concentrate on their shoulders and arms. Athletes will have to devote more attention to their ankles and knees.
Exercises that resemble movement, such as lunges or squats, are good before each session. Additionally, it is usually advised that we warm up our muscles and joints by doing 5 minutes of gentle jogging or similar physical exercise.
Stretch After Training
It’s time to stretch once we’ve completed our workout. We will profit from them in the following ways:
- Reduce muscle tension
- Increase coordination of movements
- Prevent injuries
- Improve flexibility
- Improve blood circulation
Static Stretches
Static stretching involves holding a certain posture for a few seconds. It is suggested that you hold this posture for 15 to 30 seconds. The idea is to stretch slowly and progressively until you approach the muscle’s limit before feeling discomfort.
The stretches we execute without assistance, that is, without relying on anything, stretch one muscle while contracting another. That muscle’s contraction aids the relaxation of its antagonist.
While doing stretches with assistance, we stretch all of the muscles in that location, causing a sense of stiffness.
Dynamic Stretches
Dynamic stretches primarily focus on movement rather than flexibility. They are the ones that are often utilized in warm-up exercises, since the squat and static stride are the most common.
Stretch After Running
We’ll have to wait around 7 minutes after we complete our run before beginning our stretching routine. Because the muscles are still warm, stretching will be simpler at this time:
- We’ll begin the stretch by targeting the quadriceps and hips. With one hand, we’ll grip a fence or a wall, and with the other, we’ll grab our toe, which should be as near to the buttock as feasible.
- After that, we’ll stretch the hamstrings and calves. For the first, we’ll elevate one leg to the wall, retaining it at a 90o angle, and resting the hand on the point of the foot.
- Separate our legs and gradually lower ourselves, seeking to touch the ground with the tips of our fingers for the calves and hamstrings.
- We’ll stretch the adductors after these workouts. We do this by sitting on the floor and extending our legs in a V formation. Then we’ll attempt to reach the tip of the foot with each hand.
Also see: How To Relieve Back Pain?
