Stretching is a very common topic these days. When to stretch. Where to stretch. How to stretch. How long to stretch. How not to stretch.
I have always 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 course. All through my schooldays all my coaches had me warm up and stretch. It didn’t matter which activity it was. Swimming, water polo, football, softball, baseball, soccer, track, and weight lighting.
Then I joined the Armed Forces 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 done by the numbers followed by a formation run or obstacle course. Chanting was then introduced to help build up cardio stamina 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 exercises you did it was crucial to warm up, stretch and at the finish to cool down and stretch. Recently I have just started taking Yoga. This also requires the same principals.
All these diverse sports, however, require a unique type of stretch.
The key is to recognize how and when to use the proper form of stretching to stop injury and realize optimal performance. So what kind of stretching do you do?
There is a controlled kind of stretching, which is called dynamic. This helps to lengthen 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. Nearly all 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 usually done at the end 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 partner to apply force which you resist by trying to return to the initial position. This helps to give you more range of movement by increasing your kinesthetic memory.
There are various benefits to proper stretching and form. By having flexibility and extra freedom of movement you will increase your capacity to finish easy to difficult tasks with less effort. A steady daily stretching routine will help to correct your posture and self esteem by looking better and feeling better about yourself. Stretching helps to relieve stress in the muscles and helps you lead a more dynamic 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.
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