The Importance of Intelligent Stretching

No single aspect of exercise is more misunderstood than stretching.

Even amongst seasoned campaigners, stretching is seldom seen as anything more than just an afterthought. People rush through a few cursory movements before an exercise routine in the misguided belief that this is helping them warm up.

In fact, stretching should ideally be done both before and after a workout.

For the layperson stretching before is generally not practical because of time constraints. Cold muscles should never be stretched and this is why it is counter-productive for you to stretch beforehand ... it just takes too long to prepare your body correctly.

Stretching after exercise is crucial and should be done for the following reasons:

- to reduce muscle and joint stiffness
- to minimise the incidence of scar tissue and inflammation
- to extend the limits of your functional, pain-free range of movement
- to counteract the muscle-shortening effect of repetitive, limited-range movement
- to eliminate metabolic residues produced during your session
- to minimise the incidence of painful "knots" of localised muscle tightness
- to promote body awareness, postural integrity and core strength

Think of this part of your routine as a recalibration for the next day. Remember too that, although your muscles are warm, they are also vulnerable due to fatigue. Particularly after longer duration, more intense exercise, I always recommend letting the "bees" calm down a little first, then stretching with purpose and caution.

In my next post I'll discuss some of the ways you can stretch and how to really enjoy your stretching. You'll also learn how to integrate stretching with strengthening.