Time is precious, so when you have limited time for your workout is it necessary to do time-consuming stretching exercises? The answer is yes it is and the reason is simple – to reduce the risk of injury.
Before commencing any kind of workout, a minimum of 5-10 minutes of warm up exercise such as walking followed by stretches is essential. The purpose of this pre-workout warm up is to gently increase the heart rate, increase the blood flow to the muscles and prepare the body for what is to come. Similarly at the end of the work-out the purpose of the cool down is to reverse the process. During cool down, your heart rate returns to its pre-exercise level and the stretching exercises help remove lactic acid from the muscles, helping to minimize stiffness.
Warm up stretches
You should aim to stretch all of the muscle groups relevant to your workout, holding each stretch for 20-30 seconds:
For example before running it would be wise to stretch the calf and thigh muscles.
Calf muscle stretch: Stand between 12-24″ from the wall with outstretched arms against the wall and feet hip width apart. Bend one leg and move the foot of the other leg back until that leg is straight. Press down gently with the heel of the back foot to stretch the calf muscle.
Hamstring stretch (back of thigh): Stand with feet hip width apart and place one foot slightly in front of the other. With feet flat on the floor, bend the knee of the back leg while pressing hands down gently on the thigh of the front leg, keeping this leg straight. Keeping the heel on the floor, raise and lower the toes of the forward foot.
Quadriceps stretch (front of thigh): Stand on one leg with the other leg bent at the knee. Hold the foot of the bent leg and gently ease it towards your bottom until you feel a stretch in the front of the thigh. You may need to steady yourself with the other hand against the wall.
Cool down stretches
Calf muscles may be stretched by standing on a raised platform (eg a block or low step) with your heels hanging over the edge. Gently press down on your heels and hold. You can do this with each foot individually, or both feet together.
Hamstrings can be eased by lying on your back with one leg raised vertically. Hold the leg around the back of the calf and gently pull it towards you until you feel a stretch in the back of the thigh. Hold.
The cool down quadriceps stretch may be the same as the warm up.
Dos
- See the warm up and cool down as an enjoyable part of the work out
- Remember to inhale and exhale normally during stretching – don`t hold your breath!
- Stay warm – wearing the right kit helps, particularly during warm up and cool down
Don’ts
- Bounce when stretching – this may cause you to overstretch and strain the muscle
- Stretch before warming up (for example by walking) or before cooling down (again by walking to allow the heart rate to return to normal)
Surfing, cycling, running – whatever your sport, make sure you dress appropriately, warm up, cool down and stretch the relevant muscle groups. Depending on your workout, other muscle groups that should be stretched include inner and outer thigh, abdominal and oblique, neck, shoulder, chest and wrist. Sports gear can be whatever is comfortable and works for you – and it can be trendy too. Volcom`s selection offers cool kit for most sports.
