Advice on Stretching

Advice on Stretching

By Ellen Cohen

Certifed Personal Trainer/Nutrition Consultant

Stretching (before exercise) could actually be counterproductive,” says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for San Diego-based American Council on Exercise (ACE). “The static stretching approach (holding a stretch for an extended period) can have detrimental effects on your strength and muscular power if done before a sports activity, and you may end up having impaired abilities.”  Performing the proper stretching at the proper time can help maintain flexibility and joint range of motion that will diminish over time as we age,” Bryant says. “We still need to do purposeful stretching, but it’s (safest) to stretch during the cool-down (after activity) period because the muscles and tissues are warm.”

The problem with old-school pre-workout static stretching of cold, tight muscles and tissues is that it produces microscopic tears of muscle fibers and does nothing to prevent injury, according to the CDC study. Research from the University of Sydney showed that stretching before exercise doesn’t eliminate muscle soreness or prevent sports injuries, and University of Nevada researchers found that long, static stretching can actually decrease strength, power and performance.

 Here are some suggestions for dynamic warm-up movements before an activity:

Running: Spend about 10 minutes marching in place, progressing to a medium-paced walk, then a slow jog, before finally reaching your running pace. You can also break up the walk and jog with some walking lunges and straight-leg kicks.

Cycling: March in place, lifting the legs high. Walking lunges will help warm up the legs. Shoulder rolls and torso twists will help loosen the shoulders and back. Begin cycling at an easy, flat pace for the first 10 minutes and gradually get up to your normal speed.

Racket sports: Perform easy movement, mimicking the motions of tennis or racquetball. Swing your arms in large windmill circles forward and back. Walk, shuffle and jog in different directions, forward, sideways and backward. Do some torso twists to loosen the back and hips.

Golf: Simulate your golf swing with slow, controlled rotating movements using a light club or no club at all. Perform windmill exercises, with arms outstretched twisting the torso from side to side. Walking lunges will help loosen the hips and legs.

Weight Training: Get the entire body warmed up by marching in place or walk on the treadmill at a fairly slow speed for 5 minutes. Gradually increase  the speed and incline for the second 5 minutes. Move the arms in large circles, perform windmill movements and rotate the torso side to side to loosen back muscles. Start with lighter weights before moving on to lifting heavier weights.

The following tips can help make your stretching routine safe and effective:

• Make sure your body and muscles are warmed up before performing any static stretching.

• Stretch to the point of mild discomfort or a slight pulling sensation. There should be no pain.

• Move slowly. Don’t rush the stretch.

• Remember to breathe while stretching, because oxygen is vital to muscular function.

• Hold a static stretch between 15 and 30 seconds, until the muscle relaxes slightly. It’s not necessary to hold it much longer than that.

• Don’t worry about how flexible you are. It’s not a competition. Everyone is different.

• Don’t bounce during a stretch. This ballistic stretching is risky, because it can cause small tears in your muscle, leaving scar tissue that tightens muscles and reduces flexibility. . Move slowly into each stretch and hold each one for 15 to 30 seconds