Stretching For A Workout

Do you stretch before or after a workout? Do you know what kind of stretching to do? As a rehabilitation physician, I often find that people know they should stretch when they exercise but are confused about when and how to stretch. If you’re feeling the same, just remember two types of stretching: dynamic stretching and sustained stretching.

Dynamic stretching is what you should do before a workout. It’s when you move your body for a few minutes to warm up your muscles. Some examples include walking/jogging, lunges, and arm circles. It’s important to start with small, gentle movements and keep moving, staying in a position for 2 seconds or less. Before a workout, dynamic stretches are safer to do than sustained stretches because your muscles are not warmed up yet. The muscle fibers are more tight and brittle and therefore more prone to getting torn if you bend too far or hold a stretch too long. If you keep moving from one position to another, you are stretching your muscles dynamically and getting them warmed up and looser without causing injury.

Sustained stretching is what you should do after you’ve finished with a workout. While your muscles are warm from the workout, this is the perfect time to hold those stretches for 5-30 seconds and lengthen the muscles back out. Stretch the muscles you worked on (legs, arms, chest, etc.) to cool down and recover from your workout. This type of stretching can prevent muscle soreness and improve flexibility.

Prevent painful injuries by incorporating stretching into your workout. Warm up before a workout with dynamic stretching (holding a position for 2 seconds or less). Cool down at the end of a workout with sustained stretching (holding a position for 5-30 seconds). This helps muscles recover faster so you’re not so sore the next day, and you can gain more flexibility to enhance overall performance.