Many people do not realize how important stretching is. No matter what kind of work out you are doing whether it be at home or not stretching is a very important part of a workout. Stretching actually counts as an exercise. Stretching helps it increases flexibility and therefor lowers our chances of injury.
Stretching should be done before and after an exercise. Stretching before an exercise losses up our muscle so we can perform the required movements we need to complete and exercise without straining, pulling or tearing a muscle. Stretching after an exercise allows us to pull our muscles loose again that may have tighten back up during an intense workout, especially when lifting weights. Stretching is not only for preventing injuries but also helps us recover from an injury as well. When a muscle has been torn, stressed or injured, stretching your muscles can allow the muscle to slowly and safely recover from injury. Stretching can increase the of the neck, shoulders, and upper back which can improve respiratory function.
There are two different types of stretches that are very important when exercising. Static stretches and Dynamic stretches. Static stretching is really easy and is a recommended place to start for. These stretches are performed with very little movement. The individual usually gets into the stretching position and holds that position for good 20-30 seconds. There are several types of static stretches which include passive, isometric, active and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation(PNF).
Passive stretches require you to have a partner or object to help you. The partner who helps you should be cautions of your limits when applying the stretch and objects being used should always be stable for safety reasons. The advantage of passive stretching is that it allows you to reach a greater range of motion. Passive stretching is commonly used to stretch the chest and shoulders. Active stretching uses your opposing muscles (your own muscles) to stretch your other muscles. The opposing muscle is contracted and the targeted muscle is relaxed and stretched. Bending over and grabbing your feet in order to stretch your hamstrings is an example of active stretching. When performing Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation(PNF) stretches you must be cautious and your partner should be familiar with about PNF stretches. Use PNF stretches to target specific muscle groups, to increase your range of motion and improve strength. An example of this type of stretch involves you lying on your back contracting your hamstrings while your partner holds your leg in place. After about 10 seconds the hamstring is relaxed, then your partner slowly and safely pushes the muscle group (hamstrings in this case) past its normal range of movement for about 20-30 seconds. After a 30 seconds rest, repeat this 3-5 times. Isometric Stretching is similar to passive and PNF stretching but the difference is that the contractions are held longer.
Dynamic stretches are performed with movement and these stretches include, dynamic, and active isolated stretches. Dynamic stretching uses slowly controlled movements to increase your range of motion. During this stretch body parts are never forced past your joints normal range of movement. high knees, backpedals and toe touches are examples of exercises that can be used during a dynamic warm-up stretch. Dynamic warm-up stretches are really good to use when warming up for a athletic competition. Active Isolated stretching works just like isolated stretching by contracting the opposing muscle group which causes the stretched muscle group to relax but the stretch is usually held for 2 seconds and repeated 5-10 times.