Stretching is when you pull your toes to you while your knee is locked, for a few seconds to about a minute. It is when you pull your foot behind you so you feel the stretch on your thigh. It is when you pull your opposite elbow close to your shoulder or bend your neck sideways, front and back. It is also when you reach out with your hands sideways, to your front or up in the air to as far as you can with your fingers spread open at its widest stretch.

Stretching before a workout

You have probably seen athletes, before starting a game, stretching in preparation. The supposedly reason is to prevent possible injuries while doing the actual game. Studies have shown, though, that there is no benefit in stretching before a workout or a game. In fact, there have been more injuries associated with pre-workout stretching since muscles are still cold.

A warm up is a different story, though. Doing a lesser intensity of what you will be doing after, is a warm up. For example, brisk-walking or jogging before running to get your heart pumping is a warm up in preparation for a more rigid task ahead of running a sprint. That way, your muscles and tendons will not be abruptly shocked.

Thus, stretching before a workout brings no benefit. However, mild stretching without any strenuous activity to follow is better than having no exercise or workout at all. If you plan to workout, do the stretching after.

Stretching after a workout

After you have warmed up in preparation for a workout, and after the actual workout, stretching after gives several benefits.

• It helps in alleviating the pain after a strenuous and tiring workout. Even without a workout, stretching helps stiff muscles in lower back, hips, hamstrings and buttocks to be relieved.

• It helps in reducing soreness, thus, making muscles repair faster.

• It helps in reducing stress.

• It helps in improving one’s range of motion. If at first you cannot reach down to your toes while knees are locked, habitual stretching will enable you to reach them in time.

• It helps in improving cardiovascular health, lowering blood pressure and improving artery functions.

• It helps in increasing one’s flexibility which enables one’s movement to be faster. Low flexibility lessens the fluid retention which makes one more susceptible to cramps, bruises and sprains. Flexibility helps one to avoid injuries.

• It helps in the blood circulation. Smooth blood flow in one’s body and muscles enables nourishment to be delivered to the muscles, at the same time disposing of the waste from the muscles.

• It helps in increasing the oxygen.

• It helps in enhancing muscular coordination.

• It helps to increase energy levels.

• It helps one to focus more.