Spark when is the best time to stretch

The goal of stretching is to optimize joint mobility while maintaining joint stability. Although research has shown that different stretching methods will improve joint flexibility, it should be noted that inappropriate stretching can cause injury.

Recently, researchers have promoted the concept of a "functional range of motion. Everyone should stretch, regardless of age, gender or flexibility level. Stretching should be a part of your daily routine, whether you exercise or not. There are simple stretches you can do while watching TV, using the computer, or getting ready for bed. What are the Benefits of Stretching? Without regular stretching, your muscles will tighten and the range of motion in your joints will decrease as you age.

This can put a damper on active lifestyles and even hinder day-to-day activities. Tasks that used to be simple, such as zipping up a dress or reaching for a can off of the top shelf, can become extremely difficult. A regular stretching program can help you to maintain your range of motion and make daily living activities easier.

Stretching does not demand a huge time commitment, but it can give you huge results! Here are some of the benefits you can expect from a regular stretching program: Reduced muscle tension Increased range of movement in the joints Enhanced muscular coordination Increased circulation to various parts of the body Increased energy levels resulting from increased circulation Delayed onset of muscle fatigue Enhanced performance in daily life, sports, or other physical activity Improved posture Mental relaxation Added variety, enjoyment, and satisfaction to your exercise program Stretching is important for people of all ages!

Post-exercise stretching can also aid in workout recovery, decrease muscle soreness and ensure that your muscles and tendons are in good working order. The more conditioned your muscles and tendons are, the better they can handle the rigors of sport and exercise, and the less likely that they will become injured.

What Influences Your Level of Flexibility? There are four main factors that affect your flexibility level and ability to stretch: Age.

Younger people are naturally more flexible than older people. Muscle connective tissues have a natural tendency to shorten and lose elasticity as you age, resulting in muscle tightness and stiffness. Females tend to be more flexible than males. According to a recent story by AP medical writer Maria Cheng , CDC experts who reviewed more than stretching studies found that "people who stretched before exercise were no less likely to suffer injuries such as a pulled muscle, which the increased flexibility from stretching is supposed to prevent.

Stretching before exercise may actually increase your risk of injury. That's not just because it undermines your warm up. Some research has shown that certain athletes who stretch are more susceptible to injuries and performance problems.

Experts theorize that a certain amount of "tightness" is needed for muscle strength and power in certain sports, such as throwing a fastball or kicking a soccer ball. This is not a campaign against stretching. I firmly believe that most people benefit greatly from stretching and don't do it enough. But it should be done at the right time and not pushed to the limits.

Most research shows us that those who are most likely to suffer injuries are people on the opposite ends of the bell curve; the least flexible people—and the most flexible—are more prone to injuries and problems. That's good news for your average exerciser because you don't need to t urn into a human Gumby to stay injury-free.

A normal range of flexibility, often called a "functional range of motion" can help decrease muscle tightness and keep yourself active, mobile and capable even as you age, when flexibility naturally takes a decline. So when is the best time to stretch? Experts break down seven of the most common mistakes people make when trying to get loose—and the right way to stretch instead. Many people believe you need to do static stretches before working out, but doing this could work against you.

This may be because static stretching before a workout increases overall muscle fatigue, which leads to diminished performance and could boost injury risk. Instead, save those static stretches for after an activity. Know your limits. Instead, while you might feel slight discomfort as you stretch and release tension, it should never be painful. If it ever does start to hurt, ease up on that stretch immediately it's not a competition! This is a really common error people make.

We are going to go from most conservative or least aggressive that you can do on your own and then progress to other techniques you can seek medical attention for. These can be broken up into 2 distinct groups. Foam rolling is a soft tissue technique you can do in the comfort of your home or gym to help prime your body for your workouts or run. This can also be used after your runs to aide in recovery. I am acknowledging the research on why it feels good and the actual benefits are scarce in the research.

Click here to read a nice article summing up the research and benefits of foam rolling. Want to learn how to foam roll your iliotibial band ITB or your calf muscles? These are the two most common exercises I commonly give the runners I work with:. Stretching your muscles and soft tissue are important to do both before your workouts or runs to prime your body as well as after to restore your muscles back to their resting length. Remember to perform active or dynamic stretching as part of a warm up before you run.

Save the holding for prolonged positions or static stretching for after your runs. Whenever we exercise a muscle with strength training we are causing physiological changes to the soft tissue aiding in the remolding process. This helps tissues become more resilient to the stresses that occur with running. This is using the power of exercise to not only get stronger to to aide in the healing process of certain soft tissues.

An example of this would be using slow lowering calf raises to help chronic achilles pain. The lowering phase of the exercise is stimulating load to the tendon and aides in the remolding of that tendon so it can withstand force and not be painful during a run. In the podcast episode we also take a deep dive into some of these common questions:.

Need some ideas for what to do before your runs? Here we are at the New Haven Road Race.