Proper Stretching and Warm-Up Tips
by Jason Eyanson
The facts on warming up before exercise:
First off, a good warm-up consisting of low-intensity activity, such as walking and light jogging or calisthenic type activities, will prepare the body well by slowly increasing both your heart rate as well as your breathing. This increases blood flow, which in turn increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles. All this helps to prepare the muscles, tendons and joints for more strenuous activity. Once these are prepared, it can greatly reduce the risk for injury during the workout. The warm-up period not only helps during the workout, but after, by reducing the amount of muscle and joint stiffness and soreness that you could experience in the first stages of an exercise program. This soreness and stiffness may sway you from exercising the next time. A usual warm-up time is around 5 minutes.
Once you have finished your warm-up activity, then is the time for some light stretching. You don't want to stretch cold muscles. Stretching cold muscles can lead to a higher risk of pulls and tears of muscles. A warm muscle is more pliable and ready for stretching. I recommend that you should always do some light stretching between the warm-up activity and the main exercise. You'll also want to stretch any muscles that may feel a little tight as well as the muscle groups that you are going to be working on that day. Never use stretching alone as your "warm-up."
A complete warm-up can also be beneficial mentally. It can allow you to mentally prepare yourself for the exercise to follow. It can help you mentally unwind from the day or gear you up for your exercise to come. The warm-up can get you focused on the exercise of the day.
In addition, a good, thorough stretch after a workout can go a very long way to improving the way you feel and also your muscles' recovery from the exercises. Stretching muscles after the workout helps them from tightening up by lengthening the muscle and also helps flush out the build-up of various substances from the exercise. Overall flexibility of the muscles also comes from the stretching you do, as inflexibility often comes from very tight muscles that have become accustomed to not being stretched. Remember, the majority of your stretching should be after a workout. Making sure you stretch all muscles you worked during that day. These will be longer stretches making sure you hold each stretch for at least 20-30 seconds. Holding each stretch less may prevent you from getting the full effect of a stretch. You'll be amazed on how much better you will feel after a good stretch at the end of a workout.
Finally, try to warm-up the way that works best for you. Try out different ways such as biking, jogging, elliptical, etc... to find what is ideal for you! And don't forget to STRETCH!!
