Opinion
The Rules of Working Out and Stretching
You are excited about getting into better shape and gaining more flexibility. Maybe you have even signed up for a 5K race. Regardless of what brought you to this point, it is important to pay heed to the rules of working out and stretching to ensure that you ultimately achieve more gains and suffer fewer setbacks.
Be Wary of Overtraining
So many get overly excited about their fitness goals and do too much too fast. Just one example is someone who goes from the couch right into a 10K training plan. The issue is that the chances of being hit by an injury, burnout or other setback are significantly higher in those circumstances.
Instead, increase what you do much more gradually with the big picture always in mind.
Rest
Related to being wary of overtraining is ensuring that you rest and recover. For example, if you safely complete a 10K training plan and race, make sure to ease up on your running in the days following.
The main reason to take days off or, in some cases, longer periods of time away is to allow your broken-down muscles to build back stronger.
Avoid Only Doing the Same Sport or Workout
Only training the same muscles can lead to injury and burnout as well. This is often the case for youngsters who focus on one sport, such as those who are hoping to play it in college, and then end up quitting sports entirely. And there are runners who only run; they should also regularly branch out for the same reasons.
Best Types of Stretches To Increase Flexibility
Static stretches are the best for increasing your flexibility. Those are the ones in which you hold a position for up to about 30 seconds. A common one is sitting on the ground, leaning forward and reaching towards or, if you are already quite flexible, past your toes.
Note that you should not do this type of stretching while your muscles are cold. In other words, avoid getting out of bed or off of the couch and doing static stretches before heading out the door on a run.
Stretches to Prepare You for a Workout
The best types of stretches that will prepare you for a workout are dynamic ones. Those are the opposite of static stretches in that you will instead be moving as you stretch. They help increase your blood flow, warm up your muscles and gently raise your breathing and heart rates so that you can effectively work out afterwards.
Keep in mind that you can also do static stretches before that workout. Just make sure to start and end with dynamic stretches before diving into the workout itself.
Benefits of Stretching After a Workout
Just as dynamic stretching can ease you into a workout, stretching afterwards will help your body and mind transition from that same workout. Also, you are more likely to achieve the more significant benefits of stretching if you do so after your body is already warmed up.
