Stretching should be the mantra to recovery for a runner, a body builder, a gym enthusiast, a sports player and a recreational walker. I have seen too many discrepancies in stretching which eventually lead to overuse injuries of muscles and joints. Either one doesn’t stretch at all, or not enough or stretches incorrectly. Often people ask me why to stretch and the right way to do them. Here’s why. A static stretch is one where there is little or no movement as the controlled stretch position is maintained for about 30 seconds, then sometimes repeated. Inherent to the practice of yoga, physiologically this type of stretch has been termed ‘a form of visoelastic myofascial release’. Put simply, muscles and their associated fascia begin to lengthen slowly in response to a gentle and continuous load. In therapeutic terms this physiological response is a property of muscle and fascia known as ‘creep’. The fact that the load applied is constant and gentle is key to the effectiveness of active stretching. Static stretching post workouts can dramatically reduce the chance of overuse and other injuries as well as assist with DOMS- delayed onset muscle soreness. Static stretches also relax your muscles and calm your nervous system.
Below are the static stretches to be done after your workout, during your cool-down period.
Guidelines:
Never bounce when you do static stretching
Once you have initiated a static stretch, hold it until you feel the muscle relax (usually about 20-30 seconds)
Remember to breathe while you are stretching or activating
If you are new to static stretching, make sure you get instruction on how to do it properly
The major mistakes I find people do while stretching is that they tend to bounce and do not hold for the amount of time required for a muscle to relax and lengthen. They are wasting their time. I tell them-do it correctly or not at all.
Chest Stretch– Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold your arms out to the side parallel with the ground and the palms of the hand facing forward. Stretch the arms back as far as possible. You should feel the stretch across your chest.
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Upper Back Stretch– Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Interlock your fingers and push your hands as far away from your chest as possible, allowing your upper back to relax. You should feel the stretch between your shoulder blades
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Shoulder Stretch– Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Place your right arm, parallel with the ground across the front of your chest. Bend the left arm up and use the left forearm to ease the right arm closer to your chest. You will feel the stretch in the shoulder. Repeat with the other arm
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Shoulder and Triceps Stretch– Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Place both hands above your head and then slide both of your hands down the middle of your spine. You will feel the stretch in the shoulders and the triceps
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Side Bends– Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, hands resting on the hips. Bend slowly to one side, come back to the vertical position and then bend to the other side. Do not lean forwards or backwards
Hamstring Stretch– Sit on the ground with both legs straight out in front of you. Bend the left leg and place the sole of the left foot alongside the knee of the right leg. Bend forward keeping the back straight. You will feel the stretch in the hamstring of the right leg.
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Calf Stretch– Stand tall with one leg in front of the other, hands flat and at shoulder height against a wall. Ease your back leg further away from the wall, keeping it straight and press the heel firmly into the floor. Keep your hips facing the wall and the rear leg and spine in a straight line. You will feel the stretch in the calf of the rear leg.
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| Adductor- inner thigh- Stretch– Stand tall with your feet approximately two shoulder widths apart. Bend the right leg and lower the body. Keep you back straight and use the arms to balance. You will feel the stretch in the left leg. |
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| Groin Stretch– Sit with tall posture. Ease both of your feet up towards your body and place the soles of your feet together, allowing your knees to come up and out to the side. Resting your hands on your lower legs or ankles and ease both knees towards the ground. You will feel the stretch along the inside of your thighs and groin |
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| Front of Trunk Stretch– Lie face down on the floor, fully outstretched. Bring your hands to the sides of your shoulders and ease your chest off the floor, keeping your hips firmly pressed into the ground. You will feel the stretch in the front of the trunk |
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| Iliotibial Band Stretch–Sitting tall with legs stretched out in front of you. Bend the right knee and place the right foot on the ground to the left side of the left knee. Turn your shoulders so that you are facing to the right. Using your left arm against your right knee to help ease you further round. Use your right arm on the floor for support. You will feel the stretch along the length of the spine and in the muscles around the right hip |
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| Quadriceps Stretch– Lie face down on the floor, resting your forehead on your right hand. Press your hips firmly into the floor and bring your left foot up towards your buttocks. Take hold of the left ankle with the left hand and ease the foot closer to you buttocks. Repeat with the right leg. You will feel the stretch along the front of the thigh |
If you take ample time to do stretching post your workouts your workout performance increases many folds. So go ahead and try them.
