FITNESS TIP - NOVEMBER 2009 

STRETCHING SAFELY

A few minutes taken to stretch after an activity can improve your flexibility and reduce the risk of injury. Overstretching, however, can do more harm than good.
Here are a few tips:

Stretching before a workout or game should only be done after warming up the body with a few minutes light cardio activity. Stretching before warming up is akin to taking an elastic band out of the fridge and trying to stretch it. The benefits of pre-workout stretching are now debatable, but many people feel more comfortable having done a few stretches early in their workout. For sports, dynamic stretching, moving through the range of motion you be will using, is the most beneficial.

After your activity is the time to work on flexibility with static stretches. Holding stretches approximately 30 seconds is a guideline, but everyone is different. Hold the stretch until you feel the muscle relaxing. If a muscle is chronically tight, repeating stretches 2-3 times, and stretching daily is recommended.

Take the stretch only to the point of feeling mild muscle tension, and wait for the tension to ease. If it doesn’t, lighten up on the stretch. Muscles and tendons stretch; ligaments don’t. Forcing a stretch beyond a comfortable range of motion can cause damage to both muscle tissue and ligaments.

The Reebok Body Stretch bench is a great tool for assisting stretching, and may help you to stretch muscles you find difficult to otherwise target. Just be careful not to force the stretch by pulling or pushing too hard.

Done correctly, stretching can be the most enjoyable part of your workout!


Carol Buchinski
Fitness Director