4 Reasons to Stop Stretching Before You Exercise
By: Nicole Nichols,
SparkPeople Blogger
4/23/2010 12:00 AM
: 148 comments
: 57,672 Views
By now, you probably know how important it is to warm up before you work out. Warming up prepares your body for the increased demands of physical activity, reducing your risk of injury and complications. Beyond sending more oxygen and blood flow to your muscles, a proper warm up also prepares you mentally for what's to come—a workout that may take concentration, coordination and a little motivation.
The one thing you shouldn't do at this time is the very thing that most people do: stretch. So why is stretching before a workout a bad idea?
Here are four reasons why you shouldn't stretch before you exercise.
So when is the best time to stretch? (And yes, you should stretch!) If you haven't guessed it yet, it's at the end of your workout, right after your cool down. Your muscles and joints are much warmer and lubricated after a workout than they are before one (even if you warm up), which means you'll get more out of your stretches at this time. And because your body is returning to a relaxed state, stretching after exercise is simply a feel-good way to end your workout.
Overall, we should all aim to stretch regularly. It may take a little effort to change your habit of stretching before exercise, but the benefits and reduced risks are probably well worth it.
Do you prefer to stretch before or after your workout? Do you agree with these recommendations? Will you change your stretching routine after reading this?
The one thing you shouldn't do at this time is the very thing that most people do: stretch. So why is stretching before a workout a bad idea?
Here are four reasons why you shouldn't stretch before you exercise.
- Stretching is not the same thing as warming up. Confusing stretching with warming up is an all-too-common mistake, so don't feel bad if you thought the two were one in the same. You should spend a few minutes doing lighter intensity activity that mimics your upcoming workout—walking before running, slow cycling before biking, light aerobics before a fitness class. That is a warm-up. It gives your body time to adjust to the higher demands of exercise so that your breathing rate, circulation and heart rate can all increase in order to supply your working muscles with the blood, nutrients and oxygen they need to keep things running smoothly. Warming up also helps lubricate your joints. Stretching does not serve the same purposes and therefore does not pass for a warm-up.
- Stretching before a workout undermines your warm up. If you are going to stretch before a work out, you need to warm up first, and then stop moving in order to stretch. Have you ever thought about how the act of stopping to stretch cancels out the benefits of warming up? Your body temperature, heart rate, and breathing rate all drop considerably once you stop moving. After a few stretches, you're practically back to where you started: with cold muscles and a resting heart rate that is not ready to jump into a work out. This is one of the biggest reasons I do not advocate stretching after a warm up session. However, if you were to warm up, stretch, and then warm up again, that might be OK. But who has the time for all that?
- Stretching does not prevent injury. It wasn't long ago that fitness experts used to say that stretching would prevent injury. That's part of the reason people were encouraged to stretch before physical activity. But research has not been able to prove this theory. These days, it's generally accepted among fitness trainers, athletic trainers and physical therapists that the act of stretching does not prevent injury, no matter when you do it. According to a recent story by AP medical writer Maria Cheng, CDC experts who reviewed more than 100 stretching studies found that "people who stretched before exercise were no less likely to suffer injuries such as a pulled muscle, which the increased flexibility from stretching is supposed to prevent." So if you have been stretching before your workouts in an effort to prevent a sprain or strain, your efforts might be in vain.
- Stretching before exercise may actually increase your risk of injury. That's not just because it undermines your warm up. "Traditional stretches, like when people bend over to touch their toes or stretch their legs on a fence," wrote Cheng, "often cause the muscles to tighten rather than relax—exactly the opposite of what is needed for physical activity." Your risk of overstretching at this time is greater, and this tightness can undermine your speed and range of motion when you start exercising. Some research has shown that certain athletes who stretch are more susceptible to injuries and performance problems. Experts theorize that a certain amount of "tightness" is needed for muscle strength and power in certain sports, such as throwing a fastball or kicking a soccer ball.
So when is the best time to stretch? (And yes, you should stretch!) If you haven't guessed it yet, it's at the end of your workout, right after your cool down. Your muscles and joints are much warmer and lubricated after a workout than they are before one (even if you warm up), which means you'll get more out of your stretches at this time. And because your body is returning to a relaxed state, stretching after exercise is simply a feel-good way to end your workout.
Overall, we should all aim to stretch regularly. It may take a little effort to change your habit of stretching before exercise, but the benefits and reduced risks are probably well worth it.
Do you prefer to stretch before or after your workout? Do you agree with these recommendations? Will you change your stretching routine after reading this?
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Comments
I never liked "interruptions" but did stretch to prevent injuries.
My fiance always insists that I do it, too.
I'm happy I can skip the "interruption" after the warm up tonight thanks to this blog post:) - 4/18/2013 4:42:58 AM
I'm one of those people that will allow a lot of time for stretching. There are times when I go to the gym and if I haven't worked out in awhile and my muscles are all cold and stiff, I will start by stretching. But I really pay attention to my body. I will spend about a half hour stretching and I will warm my body up through stretching. I feel like I get the blood back into my muscles by gently stretching and waking them back up again. My stretching is like a very slow dance.
But even if I start my workout with a slow warm up stretch, I always end my workout with a stretch that is intended to work on my flexibility. After I am all warm from my work out, I want to really take my stretching to the limit.
My new thing is stretching in the steam sauna. Some times I do this before my work out, some times I do it after. For me it is absolutely amazing.
It really helps on the days that I feel resistant to exercising. I'll stretch in the steam sauna first, usually for about a half hour. I bring a 32 oz bottle of ice cold water in there with me too so I don't get dehydrated. Then after that, I am really warm and ready to work out.
Or I will stretch in the steam sauna after my work out and I will do some really deep stretches slowly for about 30 minutes. The heat gets so deep in my muscles and I'm able to stretch deeper than if I were stretching outside the sauna.
Being flexible really makes me feel really young. I still enjoy fun activities such as rollerblading, trapeze and aerial silks, and being flexible really helps with these activities.
I want to still be able to do the splits at 90.
- 8/13/2010 10:34:40 AM
God Job Nicole... Thanks Ton - 5/10/2010 4:00:53 AM
Interesting. - 4/30/2010 11:21:16 AM
On the issue of martial arts, Genkidesu is absolutely correct. I was in Aikido for years, and we always stretched at the beginning of each session; not stretching actually had the greater potential for injury. (Yes, there is some debate about the potential injury caused by dynamic streching vs static stretching. But, personally speaking, I never saw the harm firsthand and the benefits were obvious.)
Flash forward ten years later, and I'm now running. I don't stretch at all beforehand; I tried that a few months ago, gave myself a few injuries, and said "screw that." But the warmups are absolutely essential. All of my stretching, dynamic and static, now follows after I'm off the treadmill. - 4/29/2010 5:54:38 PM
My fellow walkers/runners who stretch before our walks/run are stiff and look to be in pain while doing a pre-workout stretch. They are also the ones who start off gung-ho without allowing themselves a proper warm up time in the begining of our workouts.
To each his own when it comes to this area. It is 2010 and times have changed. The things we understand now about our bodies is very different from 5, 10, 20 years ago!
Relax people and be open to learning different and new ideas. - 4/29/2010 11:14:17 AM
For one thing, this article makes no attempt to differentiate between static and dynamic stretching - a big faux pas in my book. There IS a difference.
I've been involved in the martial arts for many years. We always warm up first with running, obstacle jumping, fast air-punches, vigorous jumping jacks, etc. before a session, but I and many others know first-hand the dangers of attempting explosive high kicks at the expected "normal" limits of one's range of leg motion without also doing sufficient dynamic stretching interspersed with the "warm-up" as well to ensure one CAN reach that "normal" limit on that day without risk of injury (groin muscle pulls are THE WORST, bar none.) Every single pulled muscle I've had came on days that Sensei for some reason skipped the dynamic stretching (even though we still did the cardio-intense warm-up).
Static stretches on the other hand, are great for the cool-down period after a session, and do seem to help expand one's range of stretch for the future.
To add: I don't think enough people realize the value of consciously relaxing the muscles as one carefully stretches after exercise. It makes a difference! - 4/29/2010 4:51:23 AM
I also think it depends what sort of activity you're planning to do. "Normal" cardio or weight lifting, I tend to just do a warm up before, and then stretch after cooldown.
However, if I don't do some light stretches before my warm up for dance or gymnastics, I notice a difference. They're much easier to do with some stretching before hand (better range of motion). I also always stretch after these activities as well. Maybe these are examples of a specialized situation that isn't covered by the research the blog is based on?
- 4/28/2010 5:57:48 PM
Happy flexibility y'all!
Jenn - 4/26/2010 10:05:13 PM
sorry but i aint gonna change this since it works for me... but i do understand the 'tight muscles' problem...especially with running ect... :) - 4/26/2010 1:48:17 PM
I always thought it was because the trail was easier to run on than the road but maybe it's the difference of stretching vs. truely warming up? I think I will change my neighborhood routine and see what the difference is... - 4/25/2010 10:02:59 PM
Case in point, I wake up early 3 days a week to go running in Seoul, Korea, a land composed almost completely of concrete hills. There are no running tracks of nice cut up rubbery whatever the heck you call it, crazy drivers everywhere, and the entire country is built on a slope. As such, even with rest days (I never run two days in a row), walking intervals, 5 minute warm ups, 10 to 15 minutes of stretching after every run, and shoes WITH orthotics, I still became best friends with an Ice pack. Sore knees, sore arches, sore IT band - I had almost every single common running injury in the book. Luckily, by adding distance VERY slowly, I got to know my body pretty well. I now know, for example, that I have extremely tight hip flexors, quads, and IT band on the right side - and that no matter how good the warm up, if I don't stretch these out before running, I will pay for it the next day (or even the same day, several hours later). I think that part of this is because these muscles/tendons don't ever reach full extension during the exercise itself, so they never get the chance to stretch out fully. (Ever looked up stretches for an IT band? It's like listening to a game of twister... Place right foot behind left at approximately a 75 degree angle with the left foot facing the north polar cap and the right foot making the same angle with the Q angle as the phase of the moon times ten divided by... okay, so its not THAT hard, but you get the drift.) At the same time, even though they don't reach full extension, if these muscles aren't flexible, you can wind up with some pretty scary injuries (runner's knee is essentially your knee cap getting pulled off of its track. Yeah. Think about that for a while.)
Part of stretching is also knowing HOW to stretch. A lot of people push themselves into the stretch into where it is quite uncomfortable or even painful. That is an excellent way to tear a muscle. I prefer the "yoga" style - stretch till its a little bit uncomfortable, wait till its comfortable, breathe out into a little bit deeper of a stretch, wait until that's comfortable, repeat. I find that I can get a very deep, yet relaxed stretch this way. Before running, I only stretch the muscles that I know get overly tight. After running, I do the entire lower body with a stopwatch, making sure that each muscle gets at least 30 seconds.
The other days, I wake up to strength train - core exercises, push-ups, squats, and now quad/thigh exercises to help minimize my chances of injury. While doing these, I don't really have to stretch before hand, just a couple of light sets before to get the muscle fully warmed up. Afterwards, though, it's important to stretch, because adding muscle without stretching will VERY quickly cut your flexibility in half. After just three weeks of being lazy and not stretching after muscle work (before I starting running), I went from being able to get my palms flat on the floor in a forward bend to not being able to touch my toes :S
So, in summary -
1.) Always warm up well.
2.) Take your time when starting to exercise, adding mileage, distance, weight, whatever so that you know the idiosyncrasies of your own body. Everyone has at least one muscle imbalance, tight muscle, or structural issue somewhere.
3.) Experiment with your own workouts to find what's comfortable for you.
- 4/25/2010 9:25:05 PM
No
No - 4/25/2010 4:55:39 PM
- 4/25/2010 12:59:54 PM
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