Stretching for Exercise

Definition of Stretching for Exercise

We often hear about the word “stretching" but we don’t really understand what it means, let alone the benefits of it. Stretching is a part of the exercise programs consists of several types of physical activity which is done prior to or at the conclusion of an exercise. It is a general term used to describe a therapeutic movement which aims to elongate shortened soft tissue structures pathologically and non-pathologically to increase the joint’s area of motion. Stretching is planned to improve physical abilities, to maintain or improve the body’s  health and fitness.

Benefits of Stretching

• Stretching does not take long and does not required any difficult movement. Still, there are many people out there who regard it as unimportant. In fact, stretching is very important and has many benefits, including:
• Stretching makes our body moves more efficiently. During the training session, muscle will get shortened as a sign of fatigue. It will inhibit the body's ability to generate speed and power and becomes more inefficient to exercise. Stretching will 'overcome' this problem by keeping the muscles long and repairing the elasticity / flexibility of the body tissue.
• Stretching will strengthen your body. Any stretching done prior or between exercise session can increase muscle strength to 20%.
• A correct way of stretching can prevent injury.
• Stretching can increase physical’s ability and endurance during exercise.
• Stretching can improve blood circulation to the muscles which will increase its blood volume so that muscles can work optimally.
• Stretching can prevent the occurrence of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), which is a condition when the muscle felt sore after exercising. Usually this thing happens to people who does not exercise regularly.
• Stretching help us to avoid severe muscle damage due to the unexpected movements during exercise. It so happens because stretching activates elastin (a component in the muscle). It cause the muscle easily adaptable to any movement that can potentially cause an injury. 
• Doing the stretching at the end of exercise can reduce pain that may happen due to some collision during exercise.
• During recovery process after an injury, stretching is needed to work the muscle and to prevent muscle atrophy.
• Stretching can help to prevent the accumulation of metabolic waste due to some muscle tissue damage which usually caused by vigorous exercise involving some impact. 

The Right Time For Stretching

Stretching can be done whenever you like, either you are doing an exercise or not. Do it before and after every exercise. Any stretching conducted prior to exercise, such as cardio exercise, strength training, or sport games, can warm the muscle and make it more pliable.  

Ideally, a stretching is started with warm up moves followed by gentle stretching to more specific type of stretching, continued with core exercise and cooling down, and ended with another stretching. Do not perform any stretching before you do some warming up. A high-intensity stretching done before your exercise, when the muscle is still “cold” and tense, rather than give any benefit, it will make the tendon is more prone to injury.

For warming up, start with dynamic stretching. It is a slow, controlled motion or low-intensity aerobic exercise, like cycling, walking, or jogging. The purpose of warming up is to limber up any stiff muscle which can cause injury. To do this stretching, move all your joints one by one. For example, rotate the shoulders, bend and pull the legs one-by-one behind your thigh or glutes. Hold every movement for 10-30 seconds, or until you feel a gentle stretch on your muscle. This movement will trigger the release of natural lubricant that can protect surface of bone on each of those muscles.