[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.0.9″ custom_padding=”10px|||||”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.0.9″ custom_margin=”50px|auto||auto||” custom_padding=”20px|||||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.0.9″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.7″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Light||||||||” custom_margin=”||50px|||” hover_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Starting from P.E at school, we\u2019ve always been told to stretch before exercise. Before football practice. At the start of a run. First thing in the morning.<\/p>\n
For lots of us, it has become habitual. Others resent the amount of time it takes up.<\/p>\n
We see stretching as tugging on our arms and legs until we feel a satisfying pull in a muscle that makes us feel like we\u2019re helping it.<\/p>\n
But as research investigates the effects of stretching, the benefits are becoming a little blurred, especially before exercise. If anything, stretching muscles that aren\u2019t ready for it can cause us harm.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.7″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”22px” hover_enabled=”0″ header_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” header_text_color=”#000000″ header_font_size=”24px”]What is stretching?[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.7″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Light||||||||” custom_margin=”||50px|||”]Stretching describes when we flex a muscle to gain a feeling of temporary elongation. It\u2019s a test of our muscle\u2019s elasticity. That\u2019s its ability to distort into a new shape and then return to the original one once relaxed. That\u2019s the important bit to know. As soon as you relax your muscle, it will return to the exact same length, shape and size that it was before.<\/p>\n
When we think of stretching, it\u2019s often developmental and static stretches we think of. These are the ones where we hold certain positions to feel the stretch, and we\u2019re aiming to test and increase our flexibility by doing so.[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.7″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”22px” hover_enabled=”0″ header_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” header_text_color=”#000000″ header_font_size=”24px”]Do you need to stretch?[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.7″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Light||||||||” custom_margin=”||50px|||”]<\/p>\n
The answer here is pretty straight forward. Yes.<\/p>\n
If you want to maintain flexibility and muscle health, stretching is essential. In the same way that mobility<\/a><\/strong> is integral to your joint health, stretching does the same for your muscles.<\/p>\n Make time for it after you exercise.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.7″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”22px” hover_enabled=”0″ header_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” header_text_color=”#000000″ header_font_size=”24px”]Do you need to stretch before exercising?[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.7″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Light||||||||” custom_margin=”||50px|||”]<\/p>\n This is where it gets a little more complicated. The consensus on this from research that looks into the effects of stretching on performance is pretty one sided. It\u2019s an overwhelming no.<\/p>\n Now, this doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s not important to warm up before you exercise. Dynamic stretching describes practising movements and muscles you will during your exercise session and doing things to slowly increase your heart rate and blow flow around the body.<\/p>\n Static stretching doesn\u2019t do that. In fact, some research suggests that stretching before exercise can actually have a negative impact on your performance.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.7″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”22px” hover_enabled=”0″ header_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” header_text_color=”#000000″ header_font_size=”24px”]Does stretching help with muscle soreness?[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.7″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Light||||||||” custom_margin=”||50px|||”]<\/p>\n Ever woken up the day after a gym session and felt like you’ve been in the ring with Anthony Joshua? DOMs or \u2018delayed-onset muscle soreness\u2019 is the pain you sometimes feel the days after a workout. It\u2019s thought to be caused by \u2018micro-trauma\u2019 to your muscles. But nobody is really sure. What does seem more clear though, is that stretching in an attempt to relieve or reduce this has no impact.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.7″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”22px” hover_enabled=”0″ header_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” header_text_color=”#000000″ header_font_size=”24px”]Does stretching help with flexibility?[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.7″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Light||||||||” custom_margin=”||50px|||”]Here\u2019s where stretching is helpful. Chronic stretching, which describes continual and regular stretching over longer periods of time has been shown to help increase flexibility. Acute or short-term stretching has not. So, to benefit from it, stretching has to become part of your workout routine<\/a> and not an after-thought when your muscles are feeling a bit tight.[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.7″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”22px” hover_enabled=”0″ header_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” header_text_color=”#000000″ header_font_size=”24px”]Does stretching help runners?[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.7″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Light||||||||” custom_margin=”||50px|||”]<\/p>\n This question ties into the last one. Although stretching is not directly beneficial to running performance, it does increase flexibility<\/a><\/strong>. Increased flexibility and mobility mean increased range of motion, which is important in runners. Your stride and posture will be much better as a result. There are lots of key stretches that runners do<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0 and you’ll be hard pressed to find a runner, particularly endurance ones, who never stretch.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.7″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”22px” hover_enabled=”0″ header_font=”Euclid Circular B Medium||||||||” header_text_color=”#000000″ header_font_size=”24px”]So, should we all be stretching?[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.7″ text_font=”Euclid Circular B Light||||||||” custom_margin=”||65px|||”]<\/p>\n Stretching isn\u2019t a miracle worker. It cannot completely prevent injury on its own, increase performance, or aid your recovery. But that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s not worth doing. Stretching is good for flexibility. It\u2019s good for your heart. And it makes you feel good. There\u2019s a reason it\u2019s integral to the practice of yoga. So, in a world of research that can\u2019t quite make up its mind, if stretching is your thing: stretch away.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_video src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=L_xrDAtykMI” thumbnail_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.6)” _builder_version=”4.4.7″ module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||65px|||”][\/et_pb_video][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.hussle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Conversion-Banner-1-min.jpg” title_text=”Fitness fitted to you” url=”https:\/\/www.hussle.com” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.4.7″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Starting from P.E at school, we\u2019ve always been told to stretch before exercise. Before football practice. At the start of a run. First thing in the morning. For lots of us, it has become habitual. Others resent the amount of time it takes up. We see stretching as tugging on our arms and legs until […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":926,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4],"tags":[],"acf":[],"infloai":null,"yoast_head":"\n