The Importance of Daily Stretching
We’ve spent a lot of time talking about strength training, endurance and proper nutrition to keep your body in peak performance mode, but one of the most often overlooked aspects of fitness is stretching. Regular stretching can help increase your range of motion in your joints, improve blood circulation, improve posture and relieve muscle tension. Are you trying to improve your athletic performance? Stretching can do wonders for performance and reduce the risk of injuring muscles during a workout. If you’re saying to yourself as you read this, “Oh whoops! I generally just forget to stretch altogether.” Or, “Is it really even that necessary?” If so, it’s time to start incorporating this into your daily routine. It only takes around 10 minutes a day and can save you from tightened, short muscles, joint pain and muscle weakness.
Static Stretches
If you’re not already familiar, static stretching is when you stretch a muscle to the end of its range of motion and then hold for 30 seconds longer. Static stretching helps increase muscle length and relieve tension. You generally want to do these types of stretches at the end of a workout session to help with recovery and improve your range of motion.
Dynamic Stretches
On the other hand, dynamic stretching is when you use a repetitive movement similar to the athletic activity you are going to perform, in order to improve the range of motion. Obviously, this type of stretching is ideal before you begin a workout and is an excellent way to prime your body. Think of this as the warm-up stretch.
Just like with any other type of exercise, proper technique with stretching is crucial. For tips on proper stretching and to develop a daily routine that will yield the most results, let local personal trainer Matt Johnson help!
