When should I stretch?
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Dr. Mike Clark of Sharecare Fitness answered:
Stretching is an extremely important technique to prevent injury, warm-up your body before exercise, and cool your body down after exercises. There are many different forms of stretching including; self-myofascial release, static stretching, active stretching and dynamic stretching:
I recommend the following sequence:
1. Warm-Up (Prior to exercise)
a. Foam Roll:
b. Static Stretching on tight muscles
c. Active or Dynamic Stretching:
3. Cool down Stretching (after exercise)
a. Foam Roll
b. Static Stretching
Stretching Guidelines:
1. Foam Roll - find a tender point on the foam roll and hold for 30-45 seconds
2. Static Stretching - 2-3 sets of 20-30 second holds
3. Active/Dynamic Stretching - 1 set of 10 repsHelpful? 3 people found this helpful
Stretching is an extremely important technique to prevent injury, warm-up your body before exercise, and cool your body down after exercises. There are many different forms of stretching including; self-myofascial release, static... More -
Keith Chittenden - NASM Elite Trainer answered:Being flexible is the key to good health overall. The more flexibile you are the better. I recommend stretching your major muscle groups(hamstrings, calves, quads, chest, back, biceps and neck) 3 times a day for a duration of 30-60 seconds each muscle group.Helpful? 1 person found this helpfulBeing flexible is the key to good health overall. The more flexibile you are the better. I recommend stretching your major muscle groups(hamstrings, calves, quads, chest, back, biceps and neck) 3 times a day for a duration of 30-60 seconds each... More -
Michelle Nakanishi - NASM Elite Trainer answered:Stretching is a very important part of having a healthy lifestyle. Stretching helps the body to warm up the muscles, (getting adequate blood to the muscles), cools the body down by helping the muscles to relax to pre-workout state and prevents injuries. Knowing which types and forms of stretching will be based on what body part you will be working on. It is good to do a full body stretch daily, but emphasis should be placed on the area that will exercised, ie. leg exercise: leg press = quad stretch.Helpful? 1 person found this helpfulStretching is a very important part of having a healthy lifestyle. Stretching helps the body to warm up the muscles, (getting adequate blood to the muscles), cools the body down by helping the muscles to relax to pre-workout state and prevents... More -
Jeremiah Forster answered:Listen to Dr. Mike his input is spot on. After I ended my career as a national level bodybuilder my knees were so tight I could not show clients how to perform a squat. Simple self myofascial release to tight muscles allowed for more range of motion and decrease of inflammation in the joints. Within a few months my knees were back to normal and could resume normal activity.
With flexibility it is very important to point out that being over flexible is not good either. There is something called length tension relationships in which each muscle should have an appropriate length so it can perform at its maximum. An overly lengthened muscle is generally weakened and will be suspect to greater increase risk of injury. An overly tight muscle is can cause severe muscular imbalances and it can lead to injuries and the beginning of the cumulative injury cycle.
It is not good to have overly tight or lengthened muscles. The key is to have the proper balance in muscles. How do you know what is overly tight or overly weak? Find a good corrective exercise specialist who is trained to look for this. Sharecare is loaded with these experts.
Proper flexibility training should not take hours a day to perform. The key with flexibility training is consistency. The simple techniques that Dr. Clark laid out and done 10 minutes per day can make significant difference if done consistently.
Helpful? 1 person found this helpfulListen to Dr. Mike his input is spot on. After I ended my career as a national level bodybuilder my knees were so tight I could not show clients how to perform a squat. Simple self myofascial release to tight muscles allowed for more... More -
Jacqueline Balboni - NASM Elite Trainer answered:Stretching is very important! Movement preps are a great way to both warm up and stretch out. Movements such as leg swings, walking lunges, lunges to the side, inch worms (walking your hands out to a plank position and then walking your straightened legs in as close to your hands as possible) will help loosen up your body and prepare you for your workout. At the end of the workout make sure to leave time for static stretching which is where you hold a stretch for atleast 30 seconds, make sure to target all the major muscle groups.Stretching is very important! Movement preps are a great way to both warm up and stretch out. Movements such as leg swings, walking lunges, lunges to the side, inch worms (walking your hands out to a plank position and then walking your straightened... More -
Pamela Fortner answered:Flexibility should be a component of any exercise program. I recommend stretching both before and after you workout - as a part of your warm up and cool down process. Start out with static stretching then progress to dynamic stretches, by the end of your warm up, you should already be sweating. I start at the top and work down - 10 reps each direction, necks rolls, then ear to shoulder (for side neck muscles), chin to chest, chin to ceiling, then shoulder rolls, big arm swings, hip circles, trunk rotation - then progressing to pulsing dynamic stretches like abductor/aductor side stretches, toe touches, and so on.Flexibility should be a component of any exercise program. I recommend stretching both before and after you workout - as a part of your warm up and cool down process. Start out with static stretching then progress to dynamic stretches, by the end of... More -
Eric Olsen answered:Your stretching routine should take five minutes or so. You can do stretches any time, and as often as you wish. You may find that stretching in the morning upon rising is a nice way to wake up. But since your muscles tend to be "cold" and stiff, stretching then might be more difficult. You may find that stretching in the evening before bed is a relaxing end to the day. If you plan to work stretching into your exercise routine, we suggest doing these after your brisk walk, bike ride, or whatever, rather than before. After, your muscles will be warmed up and more relaxed, so you can probably get a more effective stretch.
Find out more about this book: Lifefit: An Effective Exercise Program for Optimal Health and a Longer Life
Your stretching routine should take five minutes or so. You can do stretches any time, and as often as you wish. You may find that stretching in the morning upon rising is a nice way to wake up. But since your muscles tend to be "cold" and... More -
National Academy of Sports Medicine answered:It is recommended to stretch before and after your workout. Before and after activity use static stretching to decrease muscle spindle activity. Perform 1 to 3 sets of each stretch, holding them for 20-30 seconds. If you don’t have any postural distortion patterns, you can perform Active Isolation stretches as a pre-activity warm up. Hold each stretch for 1 to 2 seconds and perform 5 to 10 repetitions.
It is recommended to stretch before and after your workout. Before and after activity use static stretching to decrease muscle spindle activity. Perform 1 to 3 sets of each stretch, holding them for 20-30 seconds. If you don’t have any... More -
Joel Harper - Elite Trainer answered:I am a big believer in stretching. I love feeling lose and limber and love getting my clients in to feeling tension free 24/7. There are 3 types of stretching passive, active and resistant. Passive you can do without being warmed up. Active and resistant you must be warmed up. Use your time wisely at the gym, stretch out between sets, so that you maximize your time during your workout and when you're finished you don't have to do it. Plus it opens your muscles, so that you get full range of motion when you are doing an exercise. If you had food in your teeth wouldn't you immediately floss it out? The same concept applies to tension. If you are feeling tight-learn specific stretches to open those muscles, so that you don't injure yourself when you go to lift.I am a big believer in stretching. I love feeling lose and limber and love getting my clients in to feeling tension free 24/7. There are 3 types of stretching passive, active and resistant. Passive you can do without being warmed up. Active and... More -
RealAge answered:Fitness guru Tina Vindum provides a good rule of thumb for stretching in her book Outdoor Fitness. "If something feels tight during your warm up, stretch it. Outside of that, you should stretch after workouts when muscles are warm," Vindum writes.
Stretching after a workout is "the most productive and safest time because the muscles are warm and pliable," says Vindum. She believes in stretching major muscle groups only after they've warmed up, and preferably while your heart rate is still elevated from exercise.Fitness guru Tina Vindum provides a good rule of thumb for stretching in her book Outdoor Fitness. "If something feels tight during your warm up, stretch it. Outside of that, you should stretch after workouts when muscles are warm," Vindum... More
