Stretches and Work Outs

Why?

Why do you have to go through a few minutes of what seems of be 'useless' and maybe plays no role in your fitness regimen? Why spend precious time in doing something that is not going to help you lose weight?

Because you want to make sure you are able to do all the 'good' things for a long time!

Yes, taking the first few steps to exercise is difficult for most of us, but when we do, it should last a really long time. Because once you reap the benefits of exercise, the 'good' addiction is hard to get rid of. But it hard to get rid of only if you don't injure yourself. And stretches go a long long way in helping you prevent injury.

What are stretches? Stretches are a way to first get your muscles ready for exercise and when you are done, giving instructions to your muscles that you are done and that they can rest themselves. Yes, contrary to popular belief, they are important BOTH at the beginning and at the end of every exercise routine. Yes, at the end too.

Like exercises, you can go wrong with stretches too. One of the most important thing is to loosen your joints before you stretch! "What?" one more pre-exercise routine, you may ask, but I promise you that a good pre exercise routine will take about one or two minutes. And, no, pre work out stretches are not the same as post work out stretches, so yes, there are two types of stretches.

To put things in a nutshell, there are three types of 'non-work out' stuff you need to know - 1. Joint Movements, 2. Dynamic Stretches and 3. Static Stretches.  While joint movements and dynamic stretches are to be done pre work out, static stretches are to be done post work out. Joint movements free up your, yes, joints and dynamic stretches sets the tone for your muscles and prevent injury during work out. Static stretches tell your muscles that you are done for the day and helps the muscle settle down and aids the recovery process.

Joint Movements

These are simple movements that set the tone for the routine. Rotating your shoulders, flexing your elbows, rotating your wrists, hips and ankles and your knees are examples of joint movements!

Dynamic Stretches

The name should be self explanatory. These are stretches alright, but they are mobile stretches. If you know yoga, then Surya Namaskar (sun salutations) is the perfect example of a whole body dynamic stretch. If you are not that into yoga, dynamic stretches videos are available all over the internet. Simply put, the muscle is mobile while stretching.  Moving your arms behind to back and trying to clap, bending sidewards up and down are all examples of static stretches. These set up the muscles involved for the routine, immaterial of what the routine is. It could be a morning walk, a game of golf, some work out at the gym or even intense training.

Static Stretches

When most people say stretches, they mean static stretches! This is when the muscle is static while stretching. Touching your toes without bending your knees is an example of static stretch. Static stretches prevent muscle soreness and prevent muscle injury in the long run, but they also help signal that your work out is over and that the muscle can go into rest.

So, yes, stretching is very very important in your fitness routine. Trust me it is part of uncomplicating fitness, because it will help you stay fit for a long longer by preventing injury!