Do you have the habit of stretching and warming up before you run? How often do you cool down and stretch your muscles again after your workout? Much as runners know about the importance of proper stretching, many of them are reluctant (or plain lazy) to begin a routine of thorough stretching of their muscles. I confess that when i start off in my younger days, i also did not value the importance of proper warm up stretches.
Stretching, if done correctly and adequately, is a good preventive measure that helps your body warm up for your training, improve mobility and avoid injury.
The focus is on completeness of each stretch. No matter which body part being stretched, you should maintain the posture for a minimum period of time to achieve the desired effects. Typically, keeping to 20 seconds is a bare minimum. For parts that are prone to greater usage and intensity of exercise, more time should be spent. My personal habit is to keep each stretch to at least 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Sometimes people have the myth of 'pain is better'. A good stretch should make you feel that particular muscle group being brought to tension gradually. The emphasis is on controlled motion. A sudden jerk, a forceful stretch or sharp pain are things to avoid. Remember, stretching exercises are meant to improve performance and reduce injury, so don't kill yourself doing it.
Many of the high intensity and high impact sports (like soccer, basketball, rugby) often carry the highest casualty numbers. The fact is simple. The sudden increase in speeds and change in directions during these sports necessitates the body to be at its tip-top form. Players who are too anxious to jump into the game(literally, for some) often neglect this stage of stretching and end themselves in unnecessary injuries and discomfort.
Stretching must always cater to the specific muscles and joints that will be used during the exercise. Like uncooked dry sphaghetti, a cold and unstretched muscle is more prone to "snap" or resist smooth motion. Conversely, like cooked sphaghetti, a well-stretched and warmed-up muscle will be more fluid and flexible for motion.
Even on rest days, you can do a simple stretching routine to keep those joints and muscles of yours nimble and flexible. This is especially beneficial as you taper towards your race date. As training progressively lighten, you need to sustain the body's conditioning. Stretching well regularly during the weeks prior to the race will provide that added finnese to your readiness and post-race recovery.
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Stretching, if done correctly and adequately, is a good preventive measure that helps your body warm up for your training, improve mobility and avoid injury.
The focus is on completeness of each stretch. No matter which body part being stretched, you should maintain the posture for a minimum period of time to achieve the desired effects. Typically, keeping to 20 seconds is a bare minimum. For parts that are prone to greater usage and intensity of exercise, more time should be spent. My personal habit is to keep each stretch to at least 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Sometimes people have the myth of 'pain is better'. A good stretch should make you feel that particular muscle group being brought to tension gradually. The emphasis is on controlled motion. A sudden jerk, a forceful stretch or sharp pain are things to avoid. Remember, stretching exercises are meant to improve performance and reduce injury, so don't kill yourself doing it.
Many of the high intensity and high impact sports (like soccer, basketball, rugby) often carry the highest casualty numbers. The fact is simple. The sudden increase in speeds and change in directions during these sports necessitates the body to be at its tip-top form. Players who are too anxious to jump into the game(literally, for some) often neglect this stage of stretching and end themselves in unnecessary injuries and discomfort.
Stretching must always cater to the specific muscles and joints that will be used during the exercise. Like uncooked dry sphaghetti, a cold and unstretched muscle is more prone to "snap" or resist smooth motion. Conversely, like cooked sphaghetti, a well-stretched and warmed-up muscle will be more fluid and flexible for motion.
Even on rest days, you can do a simple stretching routine to keep those joints and muscles of yours nimble and flexible. This is especially beneficial as you taper towards your race date. As training progressively lighten, you need to sustain the body's conditioning. Stretching well regularly during the weeks prior to the race will provide that added finnese to your readiness and post-race recovery.
Found the article useful?
Help support us by >>Clicking Here!<<
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