TRAINING TIP #1 Stretching is NOT an activity that was meant to be painful; it should be pleasurable, relaxing and very beneficial. Although many people believe that to get the most from their stretching they need to be in constant pain. This is one of the greatest mistakes you can make when stretching. When the muscles and tendons are stretched to the point of pain, the body employs a defence mechanism called the ‘stretch reflex’. This is the body’s safety measure to prevent serious damage occurring to the muscles and tendons. The ‘stretch reflex’ protects the muscles and tendons by contracting them, thereby preventing them from being stretched. So to avoid the ‘stretch reflex’, avoid pain. Never push yourself beyond what is comfortable. Only stretch to the point where you can feel tension in your muscles. Remember to breathe slowly and easily during your stretching. This promotes blood flow and increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. Breathing slowly and easily also helps to relax your muscles, which makes stretching easier and more beneficial. Stretching before exercise will help prevent injury by lengthening the muscles and tendons, which in turn increases your range of movement. This ensures that you are able to move freely without restriction or injury occurring.
Warming up prior to stretching does a number of beneficial things, but primarily its purpose is to prepare the body and mind for more strenuous activity. One of the ways it achieves this is by helping to increase the body’s core temperature while also increasing the body’s muscle temperature. By increasing muscle temperature you are helping to make the muscles loose, supple and pliable. Stretching after exercise has a very different role as it aids in the repair and recovery of the muscles and tendons. By lengthening the muscles and tendons, stretching helps to prevent tight muscles and delayed muscle soreness, which usually accompanies strenuous exercise.
Posture is one of the most neglected aspects of stretching. It is important to be aware of how crucial it can be to the overall benefits of your stretching. In many instances a major muscle group can be made up of a number of different muscles. If your posture is sloppy or incorrect your stretching may put more emphasis on one particular muscle in that muscle group, thus causing an imbalance that could lead to injury. For example, when stretching the hamstrings (the muscles at the back of the legs) it is imperative that you keep both feet pointing straight up. If your feet fall to the side this will put undue stress on one particular part of the hamstrings, which will result in a muscle imbalance.
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