Static Stretching and What You Need to Know

Whether you exercise or not you may have heard about the importance of stretching. Atlhetes for the most part understand its importance but in general most people do no have a thorough knowledge of why, how and when to stretch. There are many forms of stretching from static to dynamic, etc. Most people are familiar with static stretching but very few ever do it. With todays advancements in technology, sedentary behavior has become more of a standard way of living. Sitting happens almost all day from sitting behind a desk to perform job tasks, to eating, driving and watching TV. Today's generation of youth lack flexibility compared to the youth back in the 70's and earlier years when sedentary behavior was much less common and daily outdoor activities predominated especially if you were raised in a farm. 

When I was in junior high my life involved playing outdoor sports with friends and family, at other times fun games like freeze tag. When I would get  home from school I would climb up the trees in my dad's backyard to grab some fresh fruit to eat. As I got older I became more sedentary. Even today as I personal trainer I find myself sitting frequently. I sit to review and rewrite client workouts, write this blog and as I have to drive to clients homes. The most I get in physical activity comes from training myself, getting in and out of my car, demonstrating exercises and grabbing plus returning my equipment to my vehicle as well as daily stuff I need to get done. 

So what is Static Stretching? According to NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) it is defined as: The process of passively taking a muscle to the point of tension and holding the stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds. 

There are various schools of thought which argue whether or not Static stretching is good to do before starting exercise. Most would agree that some form of light activity should be performed prior to stretching to  help improve the elasticity of the muscle, raise body temperature and to prevent pulling (straining) a muscle while stretching. The most common theme I hear is 'cold muscles don't like to be stretched'. In the athletic industry it is believed that static stretching may decrease maximal strength and power for up to 10 minutes (NASM). The evidence is not well established but if your an athlete you may want to experiment and test this type of stretching well in advance to see how your body reacts. Everyone is unique and going off of unknown facts may be of great disadvantage to your athletic career. 

Here are some tips that may help improve your flexibility, range of motion, prevent injuries, help discover unknown muscle tightness, promote circulation and overall posture. 

#1 Do some light walking, cycling or movements that will help raise your body temperature.

#2 Try one week of static stretching prior to exercise and one week of non-static stretching prior to exercise to see how your body responses. Take notes so you can remember what helped and what didn't.

#3 Stretch every main muscle group.

#4 Hold the stretch for at least 30 seconds and no less than 10 seconds.

#5 Always perform static stretching after a workout to help maintain and improve flexibility as well as relax your tensed muscles. 

#6 Make sure you feel slight tension but not pain.

#7 Exhale as you attempt to stretch (ex. breathe out while sitting and stretching forward to reach your toes).

I hope these tips will help. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave your comments :D