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WHY YOU SHOULD AVOID STRTETCHING BEFORE WORKOUTS

Are there some good reasons why you should avoid stretching before workouts?

Of course there is, keep in mind you want to do what’s best for your situation.

That’s why learning more about stretching can help you get the most out of your training.

Let’s start by giving you a couple of reasons to avoid stretching.

IT’S NOT EFFECTIVE:

There was a study done (Pope et al) with over a thousand Military participants.

They took two groups, one that did stretching on a regular basis and one that did not.

The results of the study found no difference in injury rate between the two groups.

TIME CRUNCH:

Most of us are in a time crunch of some kind.

Spending an extra 15-20 minutes stretching to warm up can be difficulty to is hard to fit when you’re already taking time to workout.

It’s easy to see how this can be skipped or done later.

DECREASE IN PERFORMANCE:

Another argument that long duration stretching (static or held position) can relax the muscle tissue instead of preparing it for work.

The relaxing effect of stretching can decrease performance and even lend to unstable joints and thus increasing chance of injuries.

Long held stretches may not be your best option pre-workouts.

STABILITY IS BALANCE OF THE MUSCLES ACROSS A JOINT:

Use caution when it comes to stretching muscles that are always tight.

It’s possibly that you body is using that muscle group to stabilize joint or area of your body.

When you stretch and relax those specific muscles you take away the support for the joint leaving it open to injury.

(This is where it gets a little tricky and you may want to seek professional help.)

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

As you can see, what, how and when you stretch makes all the difference in the results you achieve.

Carefully selecting your stretching exercises for your warm-up can be very beneficial  but if you do the right kind of stretching it can either be detrimental or not helpful at all.

That’s why I have another blog which can provide your further guidance here.

It’s goes over what I’ve created after 30 years of health, fitness and personal training.

Click here to go to the guide.

Move Well, Live Better

Edward Scaduto

Stretching Study above: Pope et al.

Related Posts:

5 Reasons You Need To Stretch Before Your Next Workout