H&W: WHY STRETCHING IS IMPORTANT
- Fred Lalas
- Nov 6, 2019
- 3 min read
LET ME TELL YOU TWO STORIES:
I messed up #1:
One time I was training with my buddy, Vinh. Fittest most health conscious guy I know. And we were training pullups. Like going really hard. I was doing so many and I had to leave right away and didn't stretch out as well as I would have liked to afterward.
THE NEXT MORNING I COULDN'T FULLY EXTEND MY ARMS.
I messed up again #2:
ANOTHER time I went rock climbing with my friends. I knew to warm up my arms with ballistic/dynamic stretching before I started, but I was having so much fun, I didn't even think to stretch out AFTERWARD...
THE NEXT MORNING I COULDN'T FULLY EXTEND MY ARMS.
Healing took about 3-4 days. 3-4 days of T-Rex arms until I was able to fully extend them again. It was a long MISERABLE 3-4 days. And if you know me, I'm not one to sit down and do nothing... (tho if I HAD to, I would need a REALLY long videogame with internet).
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHY YOU WANNA STRETCH:
No one wants to feel like the Tin Man with no oil after a hard workout with mad gains. You want to be able to come back to normal everyday life after your training. You have to go back to work. If you neglect stretching, you may risk injury which could put you out of commission for a bit.
Two types of stretching:
- Ballistic/Dynamic Stretching
- Static Stretching
Ballistic/Dynamic Stretching:
"bouncing" stretching to extend beyond your body's range of motion.
The good with ballistic stretching is that it does increase range of motion, BUT it can be potentially dangerous as it carries risk for pulling the muscles past their flexibility points. So if you're gonna do it, don't SWING super hard to any side or FORCE your hands to touch your toes if you can't yet.
When to do ballistic stretching:
AFTER an easy warmup move (jumping jacks or jogging in place). This is to get circulation going and getting your muscles warmed up and ready for a workout.
Static Stretching:
held stretching in a challenging but comfortable position between 10-30 seconds.
When to do static stretching:
AFTER your workout to help your muscles relax. Static stretching seems counter productive after you're already warm, but it reduces muscles stiffness especially after a strenuous workout.
Stretching's benefits:
-Increased Flexibility: THIS TAKES TIME. SO GIVE YOURSELF TIME. You won't be a contortionist overnight so be patient and practice. I personally consider stretching to be a skill and a knowledge set. So it takes some practice.
-Prevents Injury: You know that Wrist Exercise/Strengthening I do? The one where I do pushups on the backs of my wrist? That's so I prevent sprains. The finger pushups I do? Those prevent finger jamming. I started on my knees pushing my wrists/fingers into the floor just to get them used to bearing weight. I finally hit a point where I can actually be in pushup form after the 1st year of consistent practice. So it's not impossible. I've been doing them for about 2-3 years now and those are a part of my warmup/conditioning routines.
-Improved Circulation: This is of course because stretching helps the body cool down and allows the heart beat to return to its normal relaxed state. ALSO I didn't know this but stretching AFTER the workout helps break the release of lactic acid during an intense workout!
-Improved Muscular Coordination:Muscles are able to function properly and n sync with each other. This is especially important for dancers. ESPECIALLY Breakdancers (can I get an AMEN).
So stretch. After you get finished BEASTING at the gym, come back down to earth and relax with some static stretching. Improve that circulation, get better flexibility, and prevent injury.
I wish all of you the best of health
-Fred
ex-LVN, ex-CNA, Health and Wellness Enthusiast.
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