Importance of a good Stretch
One thing a LOT of people don't do when they work out is stretch. Oh sure, people "warm up" and "cool down" before and after a workout, and yes, that's critical. But what I'm talking about is a good ol' stretch for your entire workout.
Sounds crazy, I know. But my virtual coach (Hi Coach Red!) taught me LONG ago that a good stretching workout is just as affective, if not more affective, than a workout when you lift weights for an hour or do cardio for an hour.
Most believe that stretching is the same as yoga, and on the surface they do seem very similar. We'll talk about yoga in another post, but today's topic is about stretching your body and your muscles.
I'll admit, the only full body stretch workout I've ever done is from the P90X workout program. It's an hour long stretching workout starting from you neck and working all the way down to your ankles. Let me tell you, you WILL sweat doing this. Also, I've never knew my body could bend that way.
Won't get into details about all the stretches themselves but the just of this post is to let you know that if you choose to lead a healthy lifestyle, then ALWAYS make stretching a major part of it.
Stretching your muscles increases flexibility, which means less chance of injury (which is always good) which means you'll continue to feel great about your progress with your workouts. Not to mention that is just makes you feel so darn good!
We'll chat more about stretching in posts to come. Until then, Ciao!
June 4, 2010
Posted in: Uncategorized
One Response
Yes, I completely agree. Stretching is so vital. I see about 95% of all people at the gym do their workout and don't stretch at all. They don't even warm up or cool down. Dangerous!
Stretching is also important for those who play sports, to like you said, prevent injury.
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