The Ins and Outs of Stretching

People lead busy lives and sometimes it’s hard to squeeze in a workout. But when you leave fitness classes early, you are cheating yourself out of one of the most beneficial parts of the workout: stretching.

Why stretch? Regardless of the type of class, stretching for the last five minutes can be just as important as the first 55. Stretching offers a host of benefits, including increased range of motion, improved posture, increased circulation, increased energy levels and even stress relief.

Increase range of motion: Taking the time to stretch the major muscle groups used in class will have a lasting effect on your ability to increase your range of motion. With an increased range of motion, mobility will increase and risk of injury will decrease.
Improved posture: Frequent stretching helps to maintain proper posture by not allowing muscles to get tight.
Increase circulation: Stretching improves circulation which can help speed up recovery.
Increased energy levels: Stretching causes you to breathe deeply bringing oxygen to your brain, in effect waking you up.
Stress relief: Stretching relaxes the tense muscles that often accompany stress. The headaches and pain experienced when you are under stress are usually caused by tight upper traps. A simple head tilt for 30 seconds is all you need to relieve some of that stress.

When to stretch. Stretching before your body is properly warmed up can directly contribute to pulled and torn muscles. After a workout, the heat in your muscles creates the perfect atmosphere to stretch.

How to stretch. When it comes to stretching, there are some basic instructions that you should always follow.

If it hurts, stop. Stretching should never hurt. If you have reached a point in your stretch where it hurts, relax to where it feels comfortable and hold the stretch.
Hold a static stretch for 10–30 seconds. Anything less will not sufficiently lengthen the muscle.
Never bounce or bob while stretching. You could damage the muscle.
Remember to breathe through your stretch. Deep breathing helps to relax the muscle so you can get a more beneficial stretch.
Make sure you stretch both sides of your body equally. Uneven stretching can cause an imbalance in the muscle structure which could lead to injury.

Keep your stretching routine fresh. Staying enthused about stretching can be challenging. If you feel bored with your current stretching routine, try spicing it up.

Variations: An easy way to change up your routine is offer variations of basic stretches. For example, a standard hamstring stretch is to extend your right leg out with the heel on the ground (not locking the knee) and both hands on your left leg. A variation of this stretch is to keep the knees as close together as possible. It’s only a slight change, but it offers something new to focus on during the stretch.
Props: One sure-fire way to prevent boredom is to use props. A towel can be used for hamstring stretches, shoulder stretches, IT band stretches and even standing oblique stretches. Resist-A-Ball® stability balls introduce core stability to stretching. Stability balls can be used for stretching the quads, hamstrings and gluteals, back and lats, just to name a few.

Practice a stretching routine away from the gym. Stretching can be done anywhere at any time (as long as the muscles are warm), and the more stretching you engage in, the more you’ll get out of your workouts.