Stretching: When and Why?
It’s prior to a workout and you’ve gotten there 15 minutes early to warm-up and stretch but you’re a little confused as to what you should be doing.
When should you be stretching and why?
Contrary to popular belief, static stretching before a workout is not totally advisable under most circumstances. Static stretching is the type of stretch where you get into a position and hold it for any length of time. This is best done AFTER a workout, not before.
Why? Think of a spring - if you stretch that spring out and then test how much ‘bounce’ or ‘spring’ it has, you will definitely feel that it has lost some of that power. Completing a static stretch prior to a workout that requires athleticism (agility, sprinting, plyometrics, weightlifting) is not beneficial to the performance of your workout and will actually decrease your performance by over-stretching your spring.
Static stretching belongs at the end of a workout.
What should you do BEFORE a workout?
An active warmup is the best option to get blood flowing to your muscles, lubricate your joints, and provide you with the needed mobility to get an awesome workout. This means 5 easy to moderate minutes on a bike or a rower, and moving in a way that provides a brief stretch to areas and engaging those muscles rather than passively stretching into them. Here is my favorite warmup to run through prior to a workout:
5 minutes on a bike
Reach into a standing toe touch and walk hands forward into a downward dog
Pedal feet to briefly stretch one hamstring - then the other
Lift one leg back then step into a runners lunge (half kneeling)
Rotate to each side lifting one arm, then the other toward the sky
Push weight onto back knee and lean forward to briefly stretch the hamstring
Lunge forward into a hip flexion stretch (arms up)
Back to downward dog to repeat to the other side
Take this for a spin and see how your workout changes as a result!
If you find yourself still grappling with pain during your workouts and are frustrated by your lack of progress in the gym, then it might be time to seek help from a professional.
With me, I will be able to help assess whether you are dealing with a mobility or stability issue and help to:
Decrease your pain
Improve your performance so that your pain doesn’t come back
Return you to the activities that give you joy.
Curious about the next step? Sign up on the ‘scheduling’ page for a consultation call with me to chat about how I can help you take back your movement and continue to live a happy, healthy life.
