Stretching is the act of forcing a muscle to extend, such as when a person stretches their arm to the side. Stretching is an important part of any exercise routine and should be done before and after exercising. It helps to increase flexibility and decrease muscle soreness.
Stretching can also help improve performance by increasing blood flow and reducing lactic acid build up in muscles. Continue reading below for 5 of the most important reasons why you should always stretch before working out.
Importance of Stretching
1. Stretching increases blood circulation and reduces muscle soreness.
Stretching is an important way to increase blood circulation and reduce muscle soreness. You can stretch before or after a workout session, or at the end of a long day.
2. Stretching helps reduce pain, stiffness, and swelling.
Stretching before or after a workout session is helpful for both reducing pain and stiffness. As was mentioned before in the main article, stretching increases blood circulation which also helps with diminishing soreness. Stretching at the end of a long day can help alleviate joint pain that comes from sitting for long periods of time.
3. Stretching improves your range of motion.
Stretching is a good way to improve your range of motion. When you stretch, you are lengthening your muscles, tendons and ligaments. This increases the elasticity of those tissues and improves their ability to return to their normal length.
4. Stretching helps prevent injury.
Stretching is the best way to prevent injury in athletes. As the muscles of an athlete are tense and suffer from wear, this can lead to injuries. The stretching of these muscles is proven to cause less injury and soreness. Stretching should be done before, during and after physical activity in order for it to have the greatest effect.
5. Stretching improves flexibility.
Stretching is one of the simplest, but most overlooked, ways to improve flexibility. There are many different types of stretches that can be done no matter your age or fitness level. From basic static stretching to more complicated yoga-style stretches, there is something for everyone.
