You already know that stretching is vital. It improves flexibility and mobility (one of many key elements of health) and reduces the chance of harm. And if you happen to don’t stretch, the muscle tissues can shorten and develop into tight, which might restrict your vary of movement and put you in danger for joint ache or a pulled muscle.
However stretching is barely helpful if it’s carried out accurately. There are a number of widespread stretching errors that may result in the precise reverse of what you’re in search of, akin to harm and inflexibility. Listed here are eight pitfalls to keep away from so you possibly can enhance your flexibility and your exercises.
1. You’re Doing the Improper Sort of Stretching
There are two fundamental sorts of stretching: static and dynamic. Static stretching is what you most likely keep in mind from fitness center class: step by step stretching a muscle and holding a pose for about 30 seconds. Whereas it is a nice method to calm down from a exercise or improve basic flexibility, analysis means that static stretching earlier than a energy exercise may very well trigger a lower in efficiency.
“Throughout a warm-up, you wish to do dynamic stretching, which reinforces muscle activation and prepares muscle tissues to be highly effective by means of a full vary of movement,” says Trevor Thieme, CSCS. Dynamic stretches embody lunges, trunk rotations, leg swings, and leaping rope.
For the post-exercise “cool-down” interval, you possibly can concentrate on static stretching to loosen up the muscle tissues and launch stress. “Each sorts of stretching can assist improve mobility,” Thieme says. “However one excites muscle tissues whereas the opposite calms them down.”
2. You’re Bouncing Whereas Stretching
Utilizing momentum from bouncing to pressure a muscle to stretch previous its regular vary (a.okay.a. ballistic stretching) might really feel prefer it’s serving to you improve your vary of movement. However as an alternative of loosening the muscle, one of these fast stretching motion can really trigger the muscle tissues to tighten — a contraction generally known as the myotatic reflex or “stretch reflex.” This could result in accidents like muscle or tendon tears, Thieme says.
3. You’re Stretching Injured Muscle tissues
Stretching injured muscle tissues is “a giant no-no,” Thieme warns. Muscle strains usually occur when a muscle is stretched past its restrict, so stretching it additional can irritate the harm. As a substitute, use the POLICE protocol (safety, optimum loading, ice, compression, and elevation) to assist the muscle heal.
4. You’re Overstretching
Whereas some discomfort is to be anticipated, it’s best to by no means be in ache whereas stretching. “Overstretching can lead to muscle strains or extreme neural stress [stretching of the nerves],” says Lindsay Sudell, MOT, OTR/L, CFSS-3, CPT of Merely Stretch LA.
Overstretching can even result in hypermobility, “which is when a joint is simply too unfastened and thus unstable,” Thieme says. Know your limits while you’re stretching, and don’t pressure your self to transcend them.
5. You’re Not Stretching Constantly
It’s going to take quite a lot of sporadic stretching periods to attain the pliability of a gymnast. Ideally, your stretching periods ought to be average and frequent moderately than intense and occasional.
“To be able to obtain bodily, everlasting change, stretching should be constant for six to eight weeks,” says Sudell.
6. You’re Rushing By Your Stretches
“Folks usually don’t stretch for the suitable length of time,” explains Sudell. She recommends aiming for 30 seconds or much less for pre-exercise stretches. For post-workout static stretching, goal to carry every stretch for not less than 60 seconds.
7. You’re Not Doing Sport-Particular Stretches
Sport-specific stretches “could be something focused towards actions {that a} specific athlete wants,” Sudell says. For instance, she says, golfers might concentrate on stretches that enhance their spinal rotation and hip mobility, to allow them to hit the ball with maximal energy. Sprinters can heat up with dynamic stretches that simulate operating and explosive actions, like strolling lunges, butt kicks, and excessive knees.
Analysis additionally reveals that static stretches are higher suited to athletes who want flexibility (like gymnasts or dancers), whereas dynamic stretches are particularly helpful for individuals who must run or bounce (like basketball gamers or runners).
8. You’re Ignoring Your Respiration
Deep, diaphragmatic respiratory “can assist loosen up tense muscle tissues, and when paired with stretching, can enable for a good deeper stretch with out growing the chance of harm,” Thieme says.
As well as, respiratory enhances the therapeutic impact of stretching, Sudell says. Analysis reveals that diaphragmatic respiratory can assist the physique get better after an intense exercise. The correct method to breathe throughout a stretch is to slowly inhale by means of the nostril, maintain for a second, then launch the breath by means of both the mouth or nostril, preserving the diaphragm and stomach mushy and relaxed.
