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Many people remember the old days of stretching prior to doing any exercising. This is stretching a cold muscle, which is WRONG! Scientists have found that stretching a cold muscle is damaging. It is like pulling apart a rubber band that has been sitting in the sun for several days. The rubber band will snap, rip, or break, as do our muscles. The only acceptable method is warming-up prior to any type of physical activity. Generally speaking you should warm-up for 10-20 minutes, stretch for 10-20 minutes, participate in your activity, cool-down for 10-20 minutes, then stretch again for 10-20 minutes. This is not very realistic for most of us. Thus, the recommendation is to do some sort of cardiovascular activity to warm-up your body, get the blood flowing into your muscles; participate in your activity; cool-down so your heart rate drops into your resting heart rate zone; and then stretch. There are several stretches that athletes should not be doing due to the damaging effects on joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscle fibers. First, only allow “Static” stretching. Static stretching allows for the muscles to gradually increase in length, in a gentle fashion. These stretches should be held for 30 seconds (minimally). “Static” stretching is “stationary” & “safe”. “Ballistic Stretching” is not stretching. This occurs when the athlete is moving or bouncing body parts/muscles during the “stretch”. When muscles are in motion, they are working; shortening and lengthening as needed; blood is flowing. There is not a gentle lengthening when using “ballistic Stretching”. This kind of “stretching” is not appropriate and is unsafe. To remember the difference use, “Ballistic”, Bouncing”, “Bad”. There are many different ways to tell if a stretch is safe or not.<
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then the “stretch” is NOT appropriate or good for you, and may cause injury or damage. Please think of the long-term effects. You may not see the damages until 20, 30, 40 years down the line, but consider this, do you want to be the one to cause that injury when there was a safer, more effective way to stretch? It is better to be overly cautious then do controversial stretches. Always, always, consult an expert in the field. We are not talking about a “personal trainer” from 24-hour Fitness or Gold’s gym, since they do not have to have a degree in that position and their so-called training is not sufficient nor reliable. A professional or an expert would include an Exercise Kinesiologist, Exercise Physiologist; Physical Therapist; or Kinesiologist who is current in their research and practices. There are others as well, but be sure to review their background, their education, their practices, philosophies, and always apply the previously mentioned questions to what they are telling you.
Prior to any stretching, one should warm-up their muscles. A warm-up consists of any cardiovascular activity that gets the heart pumping and blood flowing. One should warm-up for 10 to 20 minutes prior to activity or stretching. How an individual’s body responds to stretching is important. Two of the intricate parts that make-up the human body are the skeletal and the muscular systems. The bones help make up the specialized support system of your body’s skeleton, and to perform their support function, they must be held together. Joints are points at which two or more bones connect, and the connections are performed primary by ligaments and assisted by muscles and tendons. Benefits of Flexibility
? Flexibility is developed when connective tissues and muscles are elongated through regular, proper stretching.? Flexibility diminishes over time when these tissues are not stretched or exercised.
Benefits of Stretching
? Stretching can optimize an individual’s learning, practice, and performance of many types of skilled movements. For example, a high jumper using the straddle technique requires additional flexibility in the adductors, groin, and hamstrings.? Stretching can increase an individual’s mental and physical relaxation.? Stretching can promote development of body awareness.? Stretching can reduce risk of joint sprain or muscle strain.? Stretching can reduce risk of back problems.? Stretching can reduce muscle soreness.? Stretching can reduce the severity of painful menstruation for females.? Stretching can reduce muscle tension.? Stretching is only beneficial when done properly.
? Stretching needs to be done gradually, slowly, and using the correct techniques to avoid injury.
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navigate to the Kinesiology page, then scroll to the appropriate link!
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navigate to the Kinesiology page, then scroll down to correct link!
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