Most of us have been taught from a
young age that failing to stretch before or after exercising is akin to a
mortal sin. Skip your stretching routine, the thinking goes, and you will be
more prone to injury, soreness, and a generally worse workout.
اضافة اعلان
But is this wisdom backed by science? And
do you really need to stretch before and after every exercise? “The simplest
way to answer that question would be no,” said Dr Samantha Smith, an assistant
professor of clinical orthopedics and rehabilitation at the Yale School of
Medicine.
But the longer answer, experts say, is that
it depends on the type of workout you are doing as well as your fitness goals.
Here is why.
What does the research show?If you are about to do an exercise that
does not involve a large range of motion, such as a jog for a few miles at a
relatively steady pace, you do not need to stretch beforehand, said David Behm,
a research professor in sports science at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
(There are many different types of stretching, but for this article, we are
talking about static stretching, where you hold still in a position to lengthen
a muscle.)
In such a case, a simple warmup with
dynamic movements — like lunges, squats, butt-kicks, and high knees — will
adequately prepare your body.
While some evidence is conflicting, the
majority of research also suggests that static stretching has no effect on — or
may even hinder — your performance during strength and power training. (Power
training involves performing moves like jumps or explosive lifts to work on
both speed and strength.)
Strength exercises involving large
movements, like squats or bench presses, will lengthen muscles in the same way
that stretching does, Behm said. So stretching before a lifting session would
not improve your performance (or be a great use of your time). And, he said,
stretching can slightly fatigue your muscles and tendons, so if you stretch
your quads and glutes before you do squats, for example, that might actually
hinder your workout.
While some evidence is conflicting, the majority of research also suggests that static stretching has no effect on — or may even hinder — your performance during strength and power training.
Many people stretch before working out to
reduce their risk of injury, but there is a lot of conflicting evidence on that
topic as well, Behm said. For instance, he and his colleagues found in a 2021
review that while static stretching before exercise did not always decrease the
risk of injury, it did reduce muscle and tendon injuries when done before
exercises requiring agility and explosive movements, like sprinting, jumping,
or pivoting
Ideal preparation for exercise comes in two
steps, said Eduardo De Souza, an associate professor of health sciences and
human performance at the University of Tampa. First, you should raise your body
temperature with a warmup — light jogging, jump rope, or light cycling, for
example. “And then you do a rehearsal of the movements for what comes next.”
That means dynamic movements that stretch
your muscles’ full range of motion — think walking lunges or arm circles.
What about stretching after a workout?Many people stretch after a workout because
they think it will aid their recovery and minimize soreness, Behm said. But
“the literature is very mixed on that” too, Smith added. When it comes to
stretching after lifting weights to prevent muscle soreness, for example,
“there have been studies that have shown a positive benefit and studies that
have shown no benefit,” she said. Likewise, in a 2021 review, researchers found
no evidence that static stretching after a workout sped recovery (or did
anything useful at all). That said, Smith has not seen any evidence that
stretching as part of a cool down after a workout is harmful.
In another 2021 review, Behm and his team
found that stretching to minimize soreness only works if you have a consistent
stretching routine, separate from other workouts, that you did regularly before
you started doing strenuous exercise. These stretches should last for 30 to 60
seconds for each muscle group, and be performed at least twice a week.
After a workout you should do a proper
cool-down, and stretching is one way to do that, De Souza said — as is foam
rolling or walking. Although, he added, there is not enough research to
determine what cool-down method will make you feel the best after a workout.
When should you stretch?If you would like to improve your
flexibility or mobility, then stretching various muscle groups for about 30 to
60 seconds each day can help with that, Smith said. It can also be beneficial
in ways you may have never even realized.
After a workout you should do a proper cool-down, and stretching is one way to do that, De Souza said — as is foam rolling or walking.
People do not often think of stretching for
flexibility as its own kind of exercise or workout, Smith said, but making a
point to add a separate stretching routine to your weekly workout regimen can
help you reach your flexibility goals.
Stretching can also help loosen tight
muscles. But be careful, Smith said, since “an injured muscle or a weak muscle
is frequently a tight muscle.” If a muscle feels tight and painful, that is a
sign that it could be injured, so you should see a health care provider before
you start stretching it.
Other benefits of regular stretching
include improved balance as well as help with joint and muscle pain, Behm said.
But rather than focusing on whether or not
to stretch, Smith said, it is important to look at the bigger picture of
physical fitness, “which is that being strong, having good balance, having good
coordination” are all important goals to strive for with various types of
exercise. Stretching can be a part of that, but if it does not fit in with your
schedule or goals, you do not have to force it.
Read more Health
Jordan News
.jpg)
.jpg)
