« Training For a Race is a Lot More Than a Jog in the Park | Main | Mental Toughness: The Difference Between an Ordinary Athlete and a Champion »
Stretch Now or Stretch Later
By Christina | July 17, 2009
A woman at my gym is very physically active. She works out 7 days a week for at least an hour and half daily. You would think that people would know who she is based on her dedication and discipline to fitness, but that is not the case. Rather, this woman is famous for never stretching after any class or workout routine., ever. She is the first one out the door every time. Her reasoning for her swift departures is unfortunately not unique. “I hate to stretch.” “I don’t have time to stretch.” “I’m just not flexible.” If you fall into this category of non-stretchers, you are only hurting yourself in the long run.
Exercising is like running a marathon. This isn’t a one time gig. You only have one body, an aging body at that, which has been subject to many years of wear and tear already. The goal for a long, healthy life is that you can continue to exercise for the long haul. In the half-marathon that I just signed up to run in November, I will be running against an 80 year old who was featured in the local paper. He has been successfully running marathons since he was in his thirties. I can guarantee you that you will not still be running marathons in your 80s if stretching is not part of your daily workout.
Stretching is a little bit like flossing. Dentists advise flossing only those teeth you want to keep. The same theory applies to your body. Stretching elongates and lengthens your muscles and is the number one way to prevent exercise related injury in the future.
You are working out wrong if your daily workout does not include cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, balance, and flexibility. Especially for those people that say they don’t stretch because they are not flexible, stretching on a daily basis is vital or you are missing out of a key component of a complete exercise program.
Stretching reminds me a little of gastric bypass surgery. People who get gastric bypass surgery are morbidly obese. In general, a healthy diet and regular exercise routine are not part of their lives. What I never understood is that after they get the surgery, they will need to adhere to a strict diet and exercise regimen for the rest of their lives. If that is the case, why don’t they eat well and exercise before getting potentially life threatening surgery? Stretching is like this too. If you do not stretch regularly now when you are healthy and uninjured, not only will you most likely get injured, but when you do the therapy to heal involves stretching.
Stretching does not have to be long or cumbersome. It is best done when the body is warm and not to the point of pain or extreme discomfort. A great way to stretch if you “hate” stretching is to incorporate yoga moves into your workout at the end of your routine. Even better, take a yoga class several times a week to work on your flexibility.
The best part about stretching is it not only prevents injury and sore muscles, but it will ultimately enhance your athletic performance in any sport or physical activity you participate in. Surely, that is worth a few extra minutes of your time.
Topics: Fitness Tips, Personal Training, Yoga |
