QUALITY
STRETCHING
· Due to
modern lifestyles, our body's natural flexibility is compromised.
·
A regular stretching routine should be an integral
part of your fitness program for
o
Improved mobility and posture
o
Greater range of movement
o
Greater efficiency of movement
o
Reduced risk of injury
o
The positive feeling of being loose and supple
· The ideal time to stretch is at the end of your
workout when you are thoroughly warmed-up with good blood flow to your muscles.
· Flexibility training can be carried out independently,
but only when the body has warmed-up.
· Moderate cardiovascular (CV) exercise for 10-15
minutes is ideal for a warm-up.
· Additionally, your warm-up should be specifically
targeted at the muscles you intend to stretch.
· Leg stretches should be carried out after they are
warmed-up.
· Walking, jogging or cycling is ideal because they use
the leg muscles.
· Upper body stretches will be far more effective after
an exercise which uses upper body muscles.
2. Relax while stretching
· Tension will inhibit your range of movement and
prevent your muscles from stretching as effectively.
· Therefore, stretching should be carried out at the end
of your training session when you will be more relaxed after your workout.
3. Stretch gently
· Gradually and carefully move your body or the limb
being stretched into the stretch position.
· Once you feel slight tension in the muscle, hold the
position.
· Avoid bouncing or any other movements, which could
overstretch the muscle and result in injury.
· Wait 15 seconds and then stretch further.
· After approximately 15 seconds, your body’s natural
stretch inhibiting reflex will relax, allowing you to stretch a little more.
· Gently ease a little further into the stretch and hold
for a further 15 seconds.
4. Keep
breathing while stretching
· Always keep your breathing easy and relaxed because
that will reduce all-round muscular tension, allowing you to stretch further.
· Holding your breath will tense up your entire body,
making stretching much less effective.
5. Hold the
stretch
·
To get maximum
stretching benefits, you need to hold the stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds.
·
Stretching each
muscle for just a few seconds will bring no flexibility benefits.
·
Focus on maintaining correct posture while you hold the position so that you don’t over-relax.
6. Pain-free
stretching
·
Stretching should
invoke a mild feeling of ‘tightness’ within the stretched muscle,
but no pain.
·
Pain when stretching indicates injury or a
muscle that has been overstretched.
·
If you experience any
pain at all, stop stretching beyond that point immediately.
7. Rest and
repeat stretches
·
A single stretch for
each targeted muscle is very beneficial.
·
But two stretches for
each muscle, separated by a short break of 30 seconds, is better.
8. Target stretching twice a week
·
Ideally, stretch your
major muscles after every workout.
·
If that proves too
time consuming, stretch them twice a week.
· A few extra minutes of cardiovascular or resistance training
will improve your overall fitness.
·
If you can complete two, ten-minute stretching
sessions each week, you are well on the road.
9. Stretching ‘dos’
·
Ensure that the
muscles being stretched are thoroughly warmed-up
·
Stretch at the end of
your training session
·
Relax and breathe
easily
·
Hold each stretch for
a minimum of 30 seconds
·
Follow an all-over
body program for stretching to avoid postural imbalances
·
Follow correct
technique
·
Avoid pain,
stretching should never be painful
10. Stretching ‘don'ts’
·
Don’t stretch before
your warm-up or workout
·
Don’t try and stretch cold muscles as they will get injured
·
Don’t bounce or rock
while holding a stretch to avoid injury
·
Don’t hold a stretch
for just a few seconds
·
Don’t hold your
breath
·
Don’t focus on just
leg stretches or just upper body stretches