Quick Tips
May 2008 - FlexibilityIn past Quick Tips I have talked about resistance training, cardio training and nutrition. These are the basic foundations of a healthy lifestyle. This month I want to add another component of a healthy lifestyle - flexibility.
There are some differences between stretching and flexibility. We have been taught from a very young age that stretching is good for us, and it is. But there is an appropriate time to stretch, at least in regards to static stretching. Static stretching is when you hold a particular stretch for 20-30 seconds which "lengthens" the muscle. Recent research has shown that it is more appropriate to use this type of stretching after working out to help with flexibility and to help alleviate DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Stretching before exercise has shown that it can actually increase your chances of injury, especially if your body is not properly warmed up.
The latest research is showing that dynamic flexibility has been shown to be a better way of "warming up" the body and getting "flexible" before working out. Dynamic flexibility is just moving your body through a good full range of motion through the joints in your body that you will be using for your activity. Dynamic flexibility can be as simple as jumping jacks, push ups, arm circles, jumping and skipping. Getting the muscles warm so the body can perform at its best! It is good to do this in multiple planes of motion to insure that the body is completely warmed and ready to perform. And as mentioned in the previous paragraph, after activity is the best time use static stretching.
