Why is stretching important?
A shortened muscle is a weakened muscle. A weakened muscle is at more risk of injury. In order for a muscle to be healthy, it needs good flexibility and strength. It is best to keep those muscles hydrated by drinking water. There is also a newly recognized system in our body--the fascial system. This is the web-like connective tissue that surrounds every organ and muscle. It can be stretchy and thin or thicker, like at the bottoms of our feet, the plantar fascia. I will talk about this more in a future blog.
It is common knowledge that one should stretch when they exercise. The guidelines to this have changed greatly. Whereas the previous thought was to hold a stretch for a long time prior to exercise, now it is recommended that range of motion movements, loosening up the joints and muscles is now the preferred. A sustained stretch is best done at the end of exercise, but it can also be beneficial to do this during exercise, such as after a warm-up.
I will present a series of videos on different stretches which are commonly good to do after general leg exercises and, if I am ambitious, I will go into other parts of the body as well. The sustained stretches should all be held for 30-60sec, and completed 1-3x, whatever you feel is necessary.