Stretching is a incredibly popular topic these days. When to stretch. Where to stretch. How to stretch. How long to stretch. How not to stretch.
I have constantly been told by all my instructors in whatever sport I have done that you need to warm up and stretch before you initiate any exercise curriculum. All through my schooldays all my coaches had me warm up and stretch. It didn’t matter which training it was. Swimming, water polo, football, softball, baseball, soccer, track, and weight lighting.
Then I joined the Military and even they had us warm up and stretch. They usually did what we called a daily seven, which consisted of 7 drills that were completed by the numbers followed by a formation run or obstacle course. Chanting was then introduced to help build up cardio endurance after warm up.
Latter I got involved in martial arts, (Judo, Karate, Boxing, Aikido, and wrestling). All these exercises also require you to warm up and stretch. I spent over 20 years doing martial arts, triathlons, bodybuilding, power lifting and numerous other team and individual intramural sports. The same principals applied. No matter what kind of drills you did it was necessary to warm up, stretch and at the conclusion to cool down and stretch. Recently I have just started taking Yoga. This also requires the same principals.
All these different sports, however, require a different type of stretch.
The key is to identify how and when to use the proper form of stretching to thwart injury and realize optimal performance. So what style of stretching do you do?
There is a controlled kind of stretching, which is called dynamic. This helps to elongate your muscles using similar actions to the activity you will be doing. You always start out slowly and increase to a maximum range of movement. Most exercises will consist of running, jumping, hopping, and stepping up and down. There are a a small number of exceptions to the rules such as swimming, which can be done in the water. Static stretches are generally done at the conclusion of your workout when your body will get the greatest results.
As far as flexibility goes, PNF stretching can be used. This however requires a cohort to apply force which you resist by trying to return to the starting position. This helps to give you more range of movement by increasing your kinesthetic memory.
There are countless benefits to good stretching and form. By having flexibility and more freedom of movement you will increase your capacity to complete simple to complicated tasks with a lesser amount of effort. A steady daily stretching habit will help to correct your posture and self esteem by looking better and feeling better about yourself. Stretching helps to ease stress in the muscles and helps you lead a more constructive lifestyle.
Pete Carey is a top Tokyo Personal Trainer and owner of TheFitnessCode.com. Please feel free to contact us at pete@thefitnesscode.com if you are interested in learning more about the Tokyo Fitness scene.
Want to know an easy and natural way to lose weight fast that really works? Visit this blog!
{ 0 comments… add one now }