Flexibility Prevents Injury Pt.2

So last time I talked about the benefits of stretching, and gave you proof that it is effective. So today I'm gonna get into the how when and what. Ive heard a lot of back and forth about it, and honestly, a lot of the "science and studies" that have been told to me were from people who couldn't touch their toes. Soooo....... yea. I could show you what researches say will work, but I think ill show you what has worked for me, the guys that work out with me. I'm in no way saying that what I do is the end all be all of stretching and mobility drills, play around, try different things and do what works for you.

So when should you stretch? People say never stretch cold, do a warm up then stretch. That way you can hurt yourself during your warm up. So lets try this. How about a stretch, warm up then stretch again? So you know to stretch before hand to loosen up, but why stretch when your done? When your performing any type of strenuous workout, your muscles burn oxygen and glucose and muscle cells become acidic, causing a burning painful sensation. This is your bodies natural defense mechanism to keep you from overworking.(Roth 2006) So that's the cause of the pain that peaks up to 72 hours after a hard workout isn't it? Actually, nobody really knows what causes it, because lactic acid disperses very quickly. So though we don't know what causes it, everyone agrees that stretching can decrease the pain and stiffness because it increases bloodflow which helps the muscles repair themselves.

Choosing stretches is totally up to you and what you like. Keep it simple. Like these.

Toe Touches (hamstring stretch). Can be done seated or standing. Feet together, knees straight and reach for your toes.

Isolated Hamstring Stretches or Sprinters stretches are demonstrated on the below picture.

Done on each leg

Shoulder stretches.- Each arm hugged across your chest, and then behind your head

Behind the head.

Calf stretch. Prop your foot up against something stationary and lean forward.

Quad stretch. Kneel and over extend your base. lean forward. switch legs.
doubles as a hip stretch.

So those are a few basic ones, which are the beginning of my routine. They are good building blocks and can get you ready for more advanced stretches. So know that you know a few you dont have an excuse anymore.