The final stretch... at 11:08

It seems the closer summer comes, the less motivation I have.  It could be everything is happening at once: projects, paperwork, packing, job finding... No matter what it is, I'm on my final stretch.  Which made me realize, since I'm discussing sport injuries and improvements to exercise, I should start with the basics- stretching!


Those who have played on a team probably can relate to sitting in lines (or a circle), apathetically counting to ten- holding each stretch.  Or perhaps you have observed most gym patrons head to the stretching mat upon arrival.  Stretching has been preached to everyone; to some people it is more important than the workout itself.  Today I'm here to say, most people stretch incorrectly.  In fact, majority of people stretch in a detrimental way.

Dynamic Stretching

There are three different types of stretching according to The Gym Press' article "Stretching Scientifically Part II"- static, dynamic and active.
Today I'm only going to focus on static and dynamic stretching since active stretching only pertains to certain competitive activities.  Everyone has been taught static stretching; this is the type of stretching where you hold a pose for a certain count and then move on to the next stretch.  This is not the type of stretch you need before you start exercising.  Static stretching helps with overall flexibility (which is still important), but it doesn't help warm up your muscles for the workout. To warm up before an exercise, you need to get your heart pumping, your lungs working, and your muscles moving.  This can be accomplished by walking for 5 minutes at a faster pace than normal, or even riding the stationary bike for several minutes.  Warming up in this sense is NOT stretching! After the warm up, you need to practice dynamic stretching.  Dynamic stretching allows your body to stay warm, while controlling your motions to perform stretches.  This parallels the motions you will encounter in your exercise, decreasing your chances of pulling a muscle. There are many websites that are similar to this one, that have a variety of dynamic stretches.

Static Stretching

So why static stretch? Static stretching and dynamic stretching go hand in hand.  Static flexibility you acquire by static stretching allows you to have more dynamic/active flexibility which dynamic stretching enhances. The more flexible your muscles are, the "longer" they are.  When your muscles are "short", they create tension on your bones, which can lead to fractures.  "Short" muscles are also more prone to extensive tearing, or being pulled.  To keep your muscles long after a workout, complete a five minute cool-down (slight jog/walk).  Allow your muscles to completely cool down, and then do a static stretch routine.