Stretching- Timing it Right

It seems there are still a lot of questions about when and how long we should stretch after a workout. The general rule of thumb is that muscles should not be stretched when they are “cold”. Cold muscles are muscles that have not been moving; true they are your body temperature, but they haven’t been warmed above this basal temperature to a temperature that is not only more responsive to stretching, but safer. One simple way to remember this is to think of a rubber band. When it is warm, you can stretch it to maybe three times its size, but stretch it cold and it’s likely to snap- ouch!

So now we know that stretching is best after a workout but what about before? Many people enjoy stretching before a workout and feel more ready to tackle the treadmill when they have stretched. While stretching before a workout has not been show to be as effective, there is no need to stop doing this if it is something you enjoy. Just remember these two things. You will still need to stretch after your workout and you must warm up before you stretch. So if you are going to walk for 30 minutes on the treadmill, be sure that you use the first five minutes to warm up, then stretch, then complete your workout, stretching again at the end.

Now that we know when to stretch, the next timing question involves the time invested in holding a stretch. There is no perfect amount of time to hold a stretch because it is so individualized, but generally it’s best to hold a steady stretch (no bouncing) for at least 20 seconds and for as long as 30 seconds. The key is feeling the stretch and holding it long enough so that it becomes slightly less uncomfortable as your muscle responds by relaxing and elongating. Stretching not only feels good but is really good for you. Stretching can help you relax, and most importantly for those starting an exercise program it can help prevent injury; the more flexible the muscle and tendons are, the less likely they are to be damaged during a workout. Be sure to stretch every time you workout, it feels so good you may also want to stretch even when you’re not exercising.