Looking back at the topics I have written about in these articles over the past few years, one topic is notably missing. That missing topic is the art and science of “Stretching”.
This article is an overview. I’ll get into more detail in future articles.
Believe it or not, stretching is a controversial topic in the Fitness industry. Do you stretch at the beginning of your exercise period, or at the end? Do you do static stretching where you extend a limb and hold it, or do you do dynamic stretching where you move your limb through an entire range of motion? How long should you hold a stretch?
Surprisingly, after so many studies, both academic and experiential, there is little consensus on answers to any of the above questions.
For Seniors, stretching plays an important part of any exercise regimen. Seniors are normally less flexible than their younger counterparts and stretching at the beginning and end of an exercise period can bring back some of that youthful flexibility. In fact there are a number of benefits to stretching:
- Stretching can improve blood flow throughout the body.
- Stretching can help relieve or prevent cramps.
- Stretching can help regain full range of motion to your muscles and joints.
- Stretching can help prevent injury to muscles, ligaments and tendons.
- Stretching will help warm up and loosen up muscles in preparation for more strenuous exercise.
There are also some pitfalls to stretching. Some if these are:
- Some people will try and overdo the stretching when first starting out, particularly when muscles, joints and ligaments are still cold or tight. This can result in an overstretching injury.
- Stretching beyond a normal range of motion. Some people try to extend their range of motion too far or too fast. This can result to damage to muscles or joints.
Here are some tips for stretching correctly:
- Loosen up before you stretch. This may sound counterintuitive but it helps to loosen up with some form of easy movement before you actually start stretching.
- Stretch as many muscle groups as possible during your session.
- Stretch as far as you are comfortable but don’t overextend. You don’t have to touch your toes the first time you try it. You’ll extend your range of motion with time.
- Start slowly. As with any exercise, ease into it.
- It seems that while there is no consensus, 30 seconds per stretch seems to be the general rule.
- Some stretches are stretch and hold (static), while others involve moving your joint through the entire range of motion (dynamic). Do both.
- Relax and breathe easily.
As I mentioned at the beginning, this article is an overview. I’ll cover the topic in detail in future articles. But having noted that I hadn’t written about this important facet of physical movement, I thought it was time to start.
Thank you for reading.