We all know that we are supposed to stretch before, during and after sport. We know it helps muscle health as well as recovery. There are no two ways about it. However, are you getting the most from your stretches? Are you doing them correctly?
Or are you wasting your time?
In this article I will show you how to get the most out of your stretching sessions. I will share with you some dos and donts of stretching so that you know you will never be wasting your time.
Stretching Dos and Don’ts
Here is a list of some dos and don’ts that will help you get the most out of your stretching.
Do proceed slowly
People tend to rush into stretches like they are some kung fu expert who can do a full side split. This is not a good idea. Make sure you take time and build up to a deeper stretch over the weeks and months. Do not force anything.
Don’t bounce
It always makes me cringe when I see people at the gym bobbing and bouncing into their stretches. That crap might have been acceptable back in the 70’s but we now know this is not good for the muscles or joints of the body. Each stretch should be done slowly and with caution. Were trying to stretch the muscles, not break them!
Do breathe deeply with each stretch
One of the ways you learn to get more flexible is to breathe out each time you want to go a little bit lower. For example, when I am doing a hamstring stretch I take a deep breath in and the as I breathe out I will slowly push down a little bit more into the stretch. This is an old kung fu exercise which is also used by modern sport.
Don’t rush each stretch
I remember when I used to go play golf with my dad he would always spend about 5 minutes warming up at the start. He would run on the spot, swing his arms around and bounce through about 30 different stretches. The problem was he only held each stretch for about two seconds. As soon as he got into the stretch position he would drop it and move on! Later on he would always wonder why the heck he was so sore and stiff. Gee dad - I wonder?!
Make sure you take your time with each stretch. Try to give it at least 30 seconds of good gentle push with correct breathing and you will see results a lot faster than you thought.
Do stretch regularly
You should start to get into the habit of stretching everyday. You should stretch before, during and after a workout (any workout) and that session should be seen as important; not as something that you can skip if you need to. If you really don’t have the time then a good 15 minute stretch in front of the television before bed is a great habit to get into.
Don’t stretch cold
Many people see stretching as a warm up exercise but it is actually the case that you might want to do a few little warm up before you start stretching!
Anyone else got any stretching tips? I’m sure there are a lot out there as everyone who plays sports stretches.
January 10th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Thanks for giving your readers some good, solid tips. Stretching is so under rated, or at least, too often ignored.
January 10th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Thanks Jamie. This post came about because I had been neglecting stretches since I injured my ankle. The result: a lot more soreness and a lot less flexibility.
RT
February 11th, 2008 at 5:49 am
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