Stretching your muscles prior and after your workout will assist you in greater performance and reduce injury. However, before stretching one must warm up / cool down by doing a slower version of the actual exercise such as walking for running or aerobics at a lower intensity than the actual session. In fact, stretching should become a regular part of all forms of workouts including gym.
Benefits:
Some of the benefits of stretching are as follows:
- physical fitness
- increased suppleness
- ability to learn and perform skilled movements
- reduced risk of injury to joints and muscles
- reduced muscular soreness
- less painful menstruation in females
- increased relaxation and a feeling of general well being
Common Mistakes:
While stretching is good for your health, it needs to be done correctly. Unfortunately, even those who stretch do not always stretch properly and hence do not reap some or all of these benefits. Some of the most common mistakes made when stretching are:
- improper warm-up
- overstretching
- performing the wrong exercises
- performing exercises in the wrong (or sub-optimal) sequence
Stretching Tips:
Here are some tips to take care while stretching:
- Stretch for at least five to seven minutes
- Begin with gradual mobility exercises of all the joints, i.e. simply rotate the wrists
- Hold each stretch for a minimum of 20-30 seconds
- Breathe comfortably, with deep breaths through your nose, and out via your mouth
- While stretching you must feel a slight discomfort, else you may be doing the stretch incorrectly
- Stop immediately if you feel any pain.
Also: Stretching Techniques
