Stretching may be one of the most misunderstood components of
exercise. When I was in high school, I stretched immediately
after changing into my running clothes at cross country
practice. In fact, the whole team did. We all gathered outside
the front of the school and stretched – mainly our legs – before
hitting the pavement. Some of my teammates sat doing butterfly
stretches, while others stood trying to loosen up their quads.
Little did we know, we were doing it all wrong. Stretching is
often – though erroneously – considered a warm-up activity. We
warm up to increase blood flow, prepare mentally and physically
for upcoming exertion, and reduce our risk of injury.
Ironically, stretching at the beginning of a workout can do the
exact opposite. If you have ever attempted toe touches or other
stationary stretches before beginning physical activity, you
could be causing your muscles to contract, which is counter-
productive. Think of your muscles as rubber bands. What happens
when a cold rubber band is stretche