Table of contents:
- The importance of stretching muscles regularly
- Do you need to stretch your muscles before exercising?
- Do you need to stretch your muscles after exercising?
- Can I stretch my muscles at any time?
- Is it necessary to hold back stretches?
The American College of Sports states that aka muscle stretching stretching is a good thing to do. In fact, experts recommend stretching your muscles at least 2 times a week, for 60 seconds of each movement. Why?
The importance of stretching muscles regularly
As you age, your muscles and joints will usually become more inflexible. By stretching diligently, this will help you move more freely. Many experts say that regular stretches can help keep the hips and hamstrings flexible into old age.
If your posture is bad and your activities are too dense so you rarely exercise, at least make it a habit to stretch your muscles to relax your muscles regularly. If you have back pain from sitting at a desk every day, stretching can also help.
Do you need to stretch your muscles before exercising?
No need. It is not proven to prevent injury, sore muscles after exercise, or improve your performance.
According to research, static stretching before exercise can actually weaken performance, especially sprint running speed. The main reason is that stretching can tire your muscles. You should warm up before exercising, but do so with dynamic stretches, which are similar to your workout you would do but at a lower intensity.
Before running, a good warm up to do is:
- Run on the spot quickly
- Walk while bending your knees
- Swinging legs
- High step or " butt kicks " (jogging slowly while the leg kicks the butt back).
Start slowly, and increase the intensity regularly.
Do you need to stretch your muscles after exercising?
Yes! This is the best time to stretch, especially static stretching. Everyone will become more flexible after exercising, as circulation to the muscles and joints increases.
After you run or jog, end with a relaxing walk. After that, cover by stretching. This is the best way to end the sport.
Can I stretch my muscles at any time?
Yes. Stretching is not required just before or after regular exercise. It is also important to do stretching occasionally, for example when you wake up in the morning, before going to bed, or during a work break.
Is it necessary to hold back stretches?
No need. Stretching your muscles and holding them for 15 to 30 seconds is called static stretching, and stretches like these are good to do as long as you don't hold them too long to cause pain. But studies suggest that dynamic stretches are just as effective, and sometimes even better if you do them before exercise.
Dynamic stretches, such as Standing-Cat-Camel, move muscle groups smoothly through several movements.
This is a static stretch version of Standing-Cat-Camel:
- Bring your fingers together in front of your face with your palms facing forward.
- Extend your arms forward as far as you can, arching your back and shoulders forward.
- Hold for about 10 seconds.
- Now release your fingers, and reach for the wrist or finger behind you.
- Raise your arms as high as you can behind your back without removing your hands, until your chest opens and your shoulders roll back.
With any stretch, whether static or dynamic, you must feel the stretch, but you must not feel the pain. Don't stretch any further than the range of motion you need.
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