Reason NOT to Stretch
Woah, wait… I know what you’re thinking. “Jenn, you have told us how good stretching is for us, and that we should stretch. Why are you linking an article about why we shouldn’t stretch?”. I can understand your confusion, but really, this is a great article that summarizes reasons why you should not stretch before a workout or activity. Dynamic movements that warm the muscles up, rather than static stretching can be more beneficial in obtaining the performance you would like for your workout and activities. Doing static stretches prior to a workout or activity requires energy to move and hold those muscles in the specific stretch position, and is energy that is depleted from the “workout reservoir tank”. Even though stretching can seem like nothing, your body still needs to use its energy systems to fire and activate those muscles. Check out the article I’m talking about here:
http://health.heraldtribune.com/2013/04/03/reasons-not-to-stretch/
There has been a lot of talk and research on this topic for many years in the fitness and health industry. Now, I’m not advocating that you shouldn’t stretch EVER, but more so stating that stretching prior to doing a workout or activity that requires explosive movements, or even the need for stability might not be a good idea. Do I think stretching afterward is a good idea; Sure thing! I also feel that scheduling in an active recovery day specifically for stretching into your fitness regime is key to injury prevention and overall health. *Cough Cough* Active Isolated Stretching in particular.
