Think Before Your Stretch
Before you go for a run, play a round of golf, or workout,
what do you do?
Do you whip out the old butterfly stretch? Toe touch? Quad stretch?
We’ve all been there.
However, recent studies have shown that static stretching alone before exercising can actually INCREASE your risk of injury and DECREASE your performance. 🤯
Research shows that stretching before activity causes:
Runners to run more slowly
Jumpers to jump less high
Weight lifters to lift significantly less
Stretching before running, lifting, or playing a sport, has become part of a standard “routine”. In many instances it has even become second nature. But did you know that it might not be as helpful as you think? Let’s talk about why…
Static Stretching
Static stretching means holding a stretch for a while without moving. While it might feel good, research has shown that it could actually make your muscles weaker and slower before running, or fatigued and not as able to handle heavy weights or perform at a high level in other sports. Imagine you're playing with a rubber band – if you stretch it too much, it becomes loose and not as good at bouncing back, right? The same thing can happen to your muscles!
But don’t worry. There's a better way to prepare for running and other sports – a dynamic warm-up.
Dynamic Warm-Up
Dynamic warm-ups help your heart pump more blood to your muscles and tendons, making them warmer and more ready to work. Movements such as high knees, butt kicks, light jog, and leg swings are great examples of a dynamic warm up.
It is important to emphasize again that the best warm up is one that gets your blood flowing, tissues prepped, body temperature raised, and mimics the movements you are about to experience for the activity or sport at hand.
This means that one type of warm up does not fit all!
For other athletes such as runners, golfers, hockey players, basketball players, and gym enthusiasts, static stretches before activity can negatively impact overall performance due to factors such as fatigue and potential muscle injury. These sports do not require the positions that static stretching puts the body in. For example, If you are about to run, take a brisk walk for 5-minutes first. If you are about to squat heavy, squat with lighter weight and work your way up. If you are able to play basketball, practice squat jumps.
However, for gymnasts and professional dancers, static stretching such as side bends and toe touches, combined with a dynamic warm up, is really important. These stretches allow them to achieve certain positions, flexibilities and muscle movements that they will perform during their routines.
When To Stretch
Now that we’ve explained why static stretching before training should be avoided, if you enjoy stretching, the appropriate time to move through static stretching would be after training, as part of your cool down.
Other cool down methods include foam rolling, breathing exercises, and/or a repeat of your warm up (mimicking the movements you just performed at a slower pace.)
For example:
To cool down after basketball - casually shoot around for 5 to 10 minutes
To cool down after a run - walk briskly for 5 to 10 minutes.
To cool down after swimming - swim laps at an easy pace for 5 to 10 minutes.
Conclusion
Overall, stretching BEFORE sport is not recommended and can potentially do more harm than good. (Unless of course the activity you are about to do, such as dance or gymnastics, requires your body to perform the same positions and movements as the stretches.) Instead, a dynamic warm up, which gets your blood flowing, muscles and tendons prepped, and heart rate increased, is the most effective way to prepare your body to perform at its best.
Unsure what the best warm up would be for your body? Want to learn how to reach the next level of performance?
At Resolve Physical Therapy and Performance we prioritize the specific needs of each client to ensure they perform their best, feel their best, and have the tools to maintain and even exceed their desired level of performance.
