Stretching: What to Do and When to Do It
Some people remember beginning high school sports classes by reaching for their toes. Then, over the years, we were told it was better to stretch after exercise.
It turns out that both those things can be true, but different advice has confused some people.
David Behm, from Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada, spoke to Associated Press to give his advice on safe stretching.
It's almost always good to stretch, but it's better if you warm up first, said Behm. He recommends activities such as jogging, walking or cycling for five or 10 minutes.
Follow that with some static stretching, the traditional way of reaching and holding a position. You can then do activity-specific dynamic stretching, in which you warm up the muscles with repetitive exercises like leg lifts.
Should you always stretch before exercising? If it's traditional stretching, not necessarily. Weight training, for instance, can be a good form of stretching, Behm said — if you start with weights that aren't too heavy.
"You probably don't have to do extra stretching unless you're a gymnast, a figure skater, or even a golfer," Behm said.
You don't need to stretch first if you're going for an easy run, either. Just start with a slow jog to warm up.
After exercise, "light stretching is OK, as long as you don't reach a point where you're feeling pain," Behm said.
If you're playing a sport, static stretching before you start helps prevent muscle injury, he added.
And make sure to do the same amount of stretching on both sides of your body: lacking flexibility on one side can lead to injury.
Different studies over the years have either encouraged or discouraged stretching before exercise. Behm said that this is partly because some studies were designed with top-level athletes in mind, not regular people.
"If you're Usain Bolt, it makes a difference," said Behm. Not so much for the rest of us.
