When it comes to the Big Three of exercise--Cardiovascular, Strength and Flexibility Training--it’s
pretty clear which one can get overlooked. After all, while we prize
cardiovascular and strength training for their role in helping us lose weight,
build muscle and get fit, the benefits of flexibility training are less
immediately alluring.
However, as the population ages, more of us are learning
to appreciate the rewards of stretching.
Staying limber can offset age-related
stiffness, will improve our athletic performance and optimize functional
movement in daily life.
Flexibility is important because having
supple muscles allows your joints to move through a full range of motion. You
need a certain amount of flexibility to move smoothly, avoid muscle tension and
to keep your body protected from injury. In fact, adding
flexibility training and stretching exercises for the major muscle groups
should be performed two to three days per week.
Why Should You Stretch?
·
Improve
your performance and reduce your risk of injury
·
Reduce
muscle soreness and improve your posture which will reduce lower back pain
·
It
increases blood and nutrients to the tissues
·
Improve
your coordination
·
Enjoy
exercise more and help reduce stress.
More flexibility training, less soreness = increased desire to keep
working out
Here are some guidelines to improve
flexibility:
1. Warm Up First.
If you’re stretching on your own, don’t forget to warm up your muscles before
you begin. Walking briskly for 10 or 15 minutes is a simple way to do this.
2. Think in Terms of Serious
Flexibility Training, Not Just Brief Stretching. Squeezing in one
or two quick stretches before or after a workout is better than nothing, but
this approach will yield limited results. What’s more, generic stretches may
not be effective for your particular body. The more time and attention you give
to your flexibility training, the more benefits you’ll experience. A qualified
personal trainer, physical therapist or health professional can design a
functional flexibility program specifically for you.
3. Consider Your
Activities. Are you a golfer? Do you ski, run or play tennis? Do
your daily home or work routines include bending, lifting or sitting for long
periods? Functional flexibility improves the stability and mobility of the
whole person in his or her specific environment. Individualized stretching
programs improve both stability (the ability to maintain ideal body alignment
during all activities) and mobility (the ability to use full, normal range of
motion).
4. Pay Special
Attention to Tight Areas. Often the shoulders, chest, hamstrings
and hips are particularly tight, but you may hold tension in other areas,
depending on your history of injuries and the existing imbalances in your
muscle groups. Unless you tailor your flexibility training to your strengths
and weaknesses, you may stretch already overstretched muscles and miss areas
that need training.
5. Listen to Your Body.
Stretching is an individual thing. Pay attention to your body’s signals and
don’t push too far. Avoid ballistic or rapid stretching, which uses bouncing or
jerking movements to gain momentum; this approach can be dangerous. Instead,
slowly stretch your muscles to the end point of movement and hold the stretch
for about 10 to 30 seconds. Older adults, pregnant women and people with
injuries may need to take special precautions.
6. Get Creative.
Varying your flexibility training can help you stick with it. You can use
towels, resistance balls and other accessories to add diversity and effectiveness
to your stretching.
7. Find a Flexibility
Class That Works for You. Yoga is another way to stretch your
body while also working on balance, endurance and stress relief. Adding yoga to
your routine a few times a week is a nice compliment to strength training and
cardio, giving you a gentle, a soothing and stretching way to work your body
and mind. Did
you know that your emotional state may affect your flexibility? If your body is
relaxed, it will be more responsive to flexibility training. Listening to music
and focusing on your breath can help you relax as you stretch.
8. It’s Not Just for
Wimps. Forget the idea that stretching is just for elderly,
injured or unconditioned people. Many Olympic and professional athletes rely on
flexibility training for peak performance.
9. Do It Consistently.
It doesn’t help to stretch for a few weeks and then forget about it. Integrate
regular stretching into your permanent fitness program. For inspiration, look
to cats and dogs--they’re dedicated practitioners of regular stretching! When you stretch
after the workout, try to hit all the muscles you used, paying close attention
to any chronically tight areas.
Stretching is one way
to keep the body flexible, especially the muscles that are tight as a result of
bad posture. Although stretching is
typically the most overlooked part of an exercise routine, it's an important
one and, for many of us, the best part of the workout.
How to Stretch
1.
Your
best bet is to stretch after your workout when your muscles are warm and you're
ready for a cool down. You don't have to stretch before your workout but, if
you do, make sure you do it after the warm up. Stretching cold muscles can
cause injury.
2.
When
doing static stretches, don't bounce. Hold a comfortable position until you
feel a gentle pull on your muscle. It shouldn't hurt and bouncing could
cause you to pull a muscle.
3.
Try to hold each stretch for 15-30
seconds to get some long-term flexibility benefits.
4.
You can also stretch between strength
training sets and you may want to perform light stretches throughout the
day to deal with tight shoulders, neck and lower back.
Val
Strunk is certified personal trainer at Midtown Fitness center In Putnam. To ask Val a question and see it answered in
the Villager email val@midtown-fitness.com
