Think of your 20/20 personal training sessions. Really think. What is the formula for your exercise success? The standard recipe usually consists of two parts cardio, one part weight training, mixed with some sweat, and garnished with fun. After a few short weeks you experience firsthand the benefits of regular cardiovascular exercise coupled with increased strength and muscle mass from weight training. True, the foundation to any weight loss program is cardio, but how much do you work on flexibility? Just glance in the weight room and you will see far more individuals lifting weights than stretching their muscles. During a training session, odds are you stretch a sparse five minutes, if at all.
Simply put, flexibility is the range of motion in a joint. It is a joint specific characteristic, meaning that the range of motion differs from person to person, joint to joint, and even between sides of the body. For example, a person may have excellent range of motion in the shoulder, but lack movement in the trunk. Or a football quarterback might have greater flexibility in his throwing arm than his other shoulder. In some cases the discrepancy in flexibility can lead to a host of musculoskeletal problems (i.e. low back pain). Likely you to have noticed yourself how unilaterally the body operates, especially in terms of flexibility.
Benefits of Stretching: So why stretch? Other than alleviating low back pain, there are numerous benefits derived from regular stretching:
- Stretching can increase mental and physical relaxation
- Stretching can promote body awareness
- Stretching can ease muscle soreness post exercise
- Stretching can decrease muscle tension and increase range of motion
- Stretching can reduce the likelihood of back problems
- Stretching the muscles of the lower back, chest, and shoulders can help keep the body in proper alignment and improve posture!
- Flexible muscles feel less tense and help to deal with stress
- Stretching increases circulation and helps the body deliver nutrients to the muscles.
How to Stretch: Reaping these benefits is as simple as counting to thirty. Ideally stretching should be done daily. But the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you stretch a minimum of two to three days a week, holding each stretch in a position of mild discomfort for 30 seconds to a minute and a half! It doesn't matter when you stretch, although a warm muscle is a pliable muscle. Stretching can be done with straps, resistance bands, machines or with no equipment at all! Some common ways to improve flexibility include:
- Static stretching, or reaching to the furthest point and holding the stretch
- Dynamic stretching, in which you gently move in and out of the stretch
- Weight training through a full range of motion
- YOGA!
- Partner stretching
- PNF Stretching, see a personal trainer for details
Try to avoid bouncing violently during a stretch. This form of stretching is likely to cause excessive soreness or injury. But whichever way you choose to stretch, be sure to do so on a regular basis. Our joints tend to loose flexibility as we age. After adolescence our bodies develop calcium deposits, our tissues become dehydrated, we feel more adhesions in our muscles, and some muscle fibers are replaced by fibrous collagen. So keep yourself young and lithe. Decrease your stress and increase your relaxation. Join a yoga class, stretch with a friend, or set up an appointment with a personal trainer. It only takes a few minutes a day. Like weight loss, think of stretching as an investment in "your health, your life, and yourself."
Written by Steve Sears, PRO Sports Club Personal Trainer