Fitness Tip - Ssstttrrrreeetttccchhh. - 10/4/2007
By George Hillinger
BS Kinesiology
ACE Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Along with resistance training, stretching is a necessity for lifelong fitness to keep functional range of motion as we age. Without strength and flexibility, our ability to do the things we love to do may be compromised as we become mature adults. When we resistance train, we stretch muscles by putting our muscles through a range of motion with resistance applied. Resistance training helps with flexibility, but, by adding stretching to our workout regiment, we can further encourage maintaining or gaining flexibility.
You don’t have to add to the time you already spend at the gym to include flexibility in your exercise regiment. While weight training, you have to rest to allow your muscles to recuperate between sets anyway, so why not use your rest period time in a productive manner and stretch? I find that if I don’t have my clients stretch in between weight training sets, they tend to forget to stretch.
The key is stretching the appropriate muscle groups while weight training. Stretching the muscles we are working doesn’t allow the muscle to recuperate in between sets. This hurts the quality of your resistance training because you won’t be able to lift as much resistance for as many repetitions. Thus, it is best to stretch away from or opposite of the muscles we are working. For example, while working your quadriceps, such as during a leg extension, you should stretch your hamstrings. By stretching the opposite muscle group, you are improving the flexibility of the opposing muscle that you are working. This allows the opposing muscle to relax, providing less resistance to the muscle you are working. So, by stretching your hamstrings while working your quadriceps, you are effectively providing less resistance from the hamstrings for the quadriceps to work against.
The duration of your stretch should be at least 20 seconds. Studies of stretching show that to benefit your flexibility you have to hold a stretch for 20 seconds or longer. Ballistic stretching, or, bouncing while stretching, is a good way to cause injury. Ballistic stretching is not encouraged for general health and fitness; it is only used appropriately for sport specific training for ballistic flexibility demanding sports such as gymnastics. For general health and fitness, you should embark on static stretching which entails going slowly into a stretch, holding the stretch for 20+ seconds, then, slowly come out of the stretch. Just stretch until you have tension; never stretch to pain. You should stretch every muscle group throughout your body. If you find that a specific muscle group is unusually tight, spend more time stretching it. Tight musculature can create mechanical problems that lead to injury. For example, a tight illiotibial band (a knee stabilizing muscle and connective tissue) can lead to poor knee tracking which can lead to injury.
By stretching, you will help keep balance in your flexibility throughout your body which is necessary for correct biomechanics while moving. A complete exercise program includes cardiovascular training for our heart and lungs, resistance training for muscular joint support and balance, and stretching to encourage healthy posture and correct biomechanics through flexibility. Instead of wasting time in between your weight training sets sitting around, make your time productive and ssstttrrrreeetttccchhh.
You don’t have to add to the time you already spend at the gym to include flexibility in your exercise regiment. While weight training, you have to rest to allow your muscles to recuperate between sets anyway, so why not use your rest period time in a productive manner and stretch? I find that if I don’t have my clients stretch in between weight training sets, they tend to forget to stretch.
The key is stretching the appropriate muscle groups while weight training. Stretching the muscles we are working doesn’t allow the muscle to recuperate in between sets. This hurts the quality of your resistance training because you won’t be able to lift as much resistance for as many repetitions. Thus, it is best to stretch away from or opposite of the muscles we are working. For example, while working your quadriceps, such as during a leg extension, you should stretch your hamstrings. By stretching the opposite muscle group, you are improving the flexibility of the opposing muscle that you are working. This allows the opposing muscle to relax, providing less resistance to the muscle you are working. So, by stretching your hamstrings while working your quadriceps, you are effectively providing less resistance from the hamstrings for the quadriceps to work against.
The duration of your stretch should be at least 20 seconds. Studies of stretching show that to benefit your flexibility you have to hold a stretch for 20 seconds or longer. Ballistic stretching, or, bouncing while stretching, is a good way to cause injury. Ballistic stretching is not encouraged for general health and fitness; it is only used appropriately for sport specific training for ballistic flexibility demanding sports such as gymnastics. For general health and fitness, you should embark on static stretching which entails going slowly into a stretch, holding the stretch for 20+ seconds, then, slowly come out of the stretch. Just stretch until you have tension; never stretch to pain. You should stretch every muscle group throughout your body. If you find that a specific muscle group is unusually tight, spend more time stretching it. Tight musculature can create mechanical problems that lead to injury. For example, a tight illiotibial band (a knee stabilizing muscle and connective tissue) can lead to poor knee tracking which can lead to injury.
By stretching, you will help keep balance in your flexibility throughout your body which is necessary for correct biomechanics while moving. A complete exercise program includes cardiovascular training for our heart and lungs, resistance training for muscular joint support and balance, and stretching to encourage healthy posture and correct biomechanics through flexibility. Instead of wasting time in between your weight training sets sitting around, make your time productive and ssstttrrrreeetttccchhh.
*Consult your physician before starting any exercise or nutrition program. If you have a question about fitness, email me at george@2fitnessconnection.com and I may write about your question in the next tip of the month!