Stretching, its whats on the menu today. If you are not presently stretching on a regular basis, you are either setting yourself for a potential injury or reducing your gym performance. Usually it takes an injury to realize the value of a proper warm up and regular stretching. Don’t wait until you hear snap crackle pop to act, start stretching now! Proper stretching helps by:
Increasing flexibility and range of motion (by helping to reduce muscle adhesions)
Fixing muscle imbalances
Reducing the risk of injury
Activating tight inhibited muscles to improve performance
Before stretching make sure the muscle is warmed-up properly, a warm muscle is more easily stretched. Its not necessary to do cardio, or even to skip, simply moving around is enough. Now for each stretch hold for at least twenty seconds, this is to make sure the muscle relaxes and stretches properly. If you are wondering where to stretch pre or post workout, it is better after. This video neatly summarizes what you should do:
To summarize the stretches performed in this video:
Hamstrings
Glutes
Quad
Hip Flexor
Hip Extensor
Adductors
Slave
Pecs
Calves and Shoulders
Neck
Now get back to me when you can put your feet behind your head?
