Benefits of Stretching Before and After Your Workout

Working out regularly is very important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But while many people workout, they dont get in the right stretches.

Prepping your body with stretches before you start any activity is essential. This helps to increase the body’s temperature, which increases blood flow throughout the body, causing the body cells and tissues to receive adequate amounts of oxygen. At the same time, stretching during post-workout helps reduce the muscle stiffness and tension that might have been caused due to the exercises performed.

So, What are the Different Types of Stretches?

Stretching before and after a workout signals the body to be prepared for the start or end of the exercise. To get your body ready, there are different kinds of stretches that you can perform:

Dynamic Stretches

This stretch is done before a workout. In this type of stretch, active movements are done without holding a position. This increases the range of motion and stretches your muscles. Examples include hip rotation circles or arm circles.

Static Stretches

Static stretch is done after a workout and requires holding a particular position for 10 – 20 seconds. It aims to make you feel comfortable post a strenuous workout. Examples include hamstring stretch or calf stretch.

Ballistic Stretches

Ballistic stretching involves bouncing movement to push your muscles beyond the normal range of motion. For example, athletes, dancers, football players, etc., use ballistic stretching, like swinging legs before performing to jump higher or dance with more energy.

Benefits of Pre-workout Stretch

Getting in a good workout on a 20-inch stride elliptical or an incline elliptical is a great idea, but stretching 5 to 10 minutes before a workout holds several specific advantages.

 Increases blood flow

The first thing stretching does is increase your blood flow. Increased blood flow allows your muscles to receive better oxygen and helps eliminate the metabolic waste produced during a workout. As a result, the prepared muscles are up and ready for the oncoming strenuous activity.

Increases flexibility and range of motion

Correct stretches help loosen up the muscles and tendons in the body. Thus increasing the body’s flexibility and giving you a wide range of motion. This allows you to perform your workouts better with reduced chances of injuries.

Improves performance

As understood from the above points, stretching before a workout helps to increase blood flow, flexibility, and range of motion. All these, in turn, help to improve the overall workout performance, as the warm-up reduces muscle stiffness and allows you to perform any pulls or pain.

Benefits of Post-Workout Stretch

Imagine you got a great workout in a long stride elliptical. Your mind and body tell you to lie down or sit down, but wait. Do not do that! Even though studies have shown that exercising helps to increase serotonin levels which helps to calm your mood and reduce overall stress, it is best to allocate some time for stretching post your workout to ensure your body relaxes too. 

Reduces risk of injury and pain

Muscles become tight after they have been worked out. If they stay that way, you are prone to have an injury. With stretching post-workouts, the flexibility of the muscles becomes better as they loosen up, thus reducing your chance of injury and pain.

Mind and body relaxation

It’s helpful if the body and the mind cool down gradually after any workout, as your mind is under pressure by focusing on the activity. This is exactly what stretching post workout does.

Lactic acid elimination

Lactic acid is produced in your body when you perform a strenuous activity like a power-packed workout. The deposition of this lactic acid in your muscles and joints causes you to experience a burning sensation. This can also lead to muscle ache and make you feel tired. Stretching after a workout helps your body eliminate the accumulation of lactic acid, thus relaxing your muscles.

Conclusion

If you are working out daily, you might know the benefits and have noticed how you feel after a good stretch. You can consult an expert for which types of stretches are suitable for you and your workout routine.

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