Kenneth Gardner

Quite often some of us confuse stretching and pre-exercise warm-up, however, they are distinct though complementary activities.

Warming up

Warming up involves light exercises that increase our body temperature and heart rate or pulse, warms the muscles and may induce light perspiration.

Warm-up times vary with individuals. Our fitness level, type and duration of exercise session, and our ability to tolerate the exercising stress all influence how much warm-up is done.

A warm-up session can last two to 15 minutes or jogging up to two miles. The warm-up can be done by starting to walk or jog slowly and lead up to a brisk walk or quick jog and ultimately running.

A thorough warm-up before an intense exercise session will enhance our ability to exercise more intensely, effectively and successfully, delaying the process of fatigue and helping to prevent injuries.

The warm-up should consist of the specific exercises that we will do in our exercise routine but in slow motion. This also provides a rehearsal of the routine.

Stretching

Stretching after our muscles are warm improves safety as the muscles can be stretched further with less chances of injuring them. Stretching improves our flexibility and flexibility boosts the entire muscular and skeletal systems. It also prevents muscle soreness, improves our physical performance and the health of our joints. Tight joints are subjected to more abnormal stress which results in more aches and pain. Flexibility makes it easier to do almost every physical activity and reduces discomfort after an exercise session.

One of the stretching techniques that is commonly used is bouncing stretch. This uses the momentum of our body movement to stretch. It is the one least recommended because it is apt to produce muscle soreness and injury and it does not improve flexibility to the same degree as other methods.

Slow stretching is done where the muscle stretch occurs as the movement progresses gradually from one body position to another, and then slowly returns to the starting position.

Static stretching involves a slowly applied stretch to the muscle and then holding it in a lengthened position for a period of time. Each specific stretch position is held in an easy stretched state for 10 to 30 seconds; then stretch a bit further until a mild tension is felt (not pain); hold the position for 30 - 60 seconds. The tension should slowly subside. Further stretching can be done until you have stretched as far as you can go.

Another method is to contract the muscles that are to be stretched then relax them as much as possible or while you are relaxing one set of muscles, tighten the opposite muscles that are shortening as much as possible. Stretching can also be done against resistance and this will become easier as your flexibility improves.

A good warm-up and proper stretching will lead to a fulfilling exercise experience and much greater relaxation after an exercise session. Warming up and stretching are also quite useful in the reduction of mental tension.