Why Stretching is Important Before and After a Workout
Stretching is something we’ve all been taught to do since a young age, but so many times, we are in a rush and head straight into our workouts without bothering to warm up or stretch. When working with our team at Braxton Gilbert Fitness Mobile, you’ll notice they always encourage you to warm up at the start and end of the session by stretching. Today we’re going to share with you the reasons why you should take time to stretch before and after all types of personal training, and we’ll share a simple stretching routine that anyone can follow.
Stretching Before Your Workout
If you think stretching is reserved just for once you’ve finished your workout, you couldn’t be more wrong. While you may want to take longer to stretch as part of your cool down, you should always take the time to stretch before starting any form of training. Just five or ten minutes is enough to set you up for your session at our gym in Mobile, AL, and you’ll want to focus on the muscles you are using during your workout of choice. Stretching before your workout works to increase your blood flow, which prepares your body for the upcoming strenuous activity it’s going to be put through.
Another benefit of stretching before working out is increasing flexibility and encouraging a greater range of motion. This can be especially important during many types of exercise where good agility is needed. Finally, you’ll find your performance will be improved by taking a few minutes to stretch, thanks to the increased blood flow and range of motion you are experiencing. This will also help to minimize the chance of an injury occurring during your session at the best gym in Mobile, AL.
Sign up for your first free workout!
Stretching After Your Workout
While you are probably tempted to rush home after your workout or head straight into the shower, make sure you add five or ten minutes to your training session to cool down properly. Our Mobile fitness trainers will encourage you to stretch as it reduces the chance of injury or pain following a workout. Stretching will loosen up your muscles once again, which is essential after working out to avoid an injury to your tight muscles.
Stretching after a workout will eliminate lactic acid from your body. This is one of the top reasons why we often feel achy or tired after exercising, but this pain can be reduced with a few minutes of stretching. Also, stretching gives your body and mind a chance to cool down and return back to your everyday life gradually.
A Simple Stretching Routine Anyone Can Follow
If you don’t already stretch after training in fitness gyms in Mobile, AL, these are a few of the easiest stretches that anyone can use to warm up and cool down after a training session. Make sure you focus on the areas of your body that are most used during your workout to help get the most out of stretching and enjoy all of the benefits listed above.
Cobra Stretch
When it comes to stretching, you probably just think about your legs and arms, but warming up your back is just as important. Lying on your front, you’ll gently peel your spine off the floor to enter a cobra stretch. Place your hands flat on the floor underneath your shoulders and go to where you feel a nice stretch. This helps to awaken your spine and can be a great warm-up exercise after a day sitting in front of your computer.
Knees to Chest
To do the Knees to Chest Stretch, turn over onto your back for the next stretch, which we’ll perform with one leg at a time. Bring one knee up towards your chest while leaving the other leg extended. This offers a nice stretch for your lower back and hips, and you can finish off by hugging both knees in for a full lower back stretch.
Neck Stretches
If you’ve ever injured your neck while training, you’ll know how uncomfortable it can be. Relaxing your shoulders, you’ll want to gently press your neck over towards one side using your arm to gently help. Hold this stretch for about 15 seconds, and then repeat on the other side.
Shoulder Stretches
Before any strength training session, ensure you are warming up your arms and neck properly. Reach one arm over your body and then place the other arm in front to hold the stretch. Once again, we recommend holding this for about 15 to 20 seconds before repeating on the other side. This is an excellent stretch to do after any workout and will stop you from experiencing sore shoulders tomorrow.
Sign up for your first free workout!
Standing Quad Stretch
Moving down to the legs now, you can use a wall to perform this stretch if needed. To do a standing quad stretch, You’ll grab hold of one foot with the same arm and pull it gently towards your butt. You should feel a stretch down your thigh and in your hip, and you’ll want to keep this in place for at least 20 seconds. Repeat on the other side to balance out your legs.
Calf Stretch
Push into the wall with one leg outstretched and the other bent in front for a full calf stretch. This is an essential stretch for anyone who is running or cycling to avoid getting tight calves following your workout.
Hamstring Stretch
Hamstring injuries can be particularly nasty, so ensure you don’t skip over stretching this area. To perform a hamstring stretch, Bend one knee and place your weight onto that leg while stretching your other leg out in front for the hamstring stretch. Slowly bend forward to increase the stretch if needed.
When adding a stretching routine into your workouts, don’t force your body into any position it’s not comfortable in. Remember, it takes time to build flexibility, but our team of personal trainers In Mobile, AL, will be here to support you every step of the way on your fitness journey. They can guide you through a full stretch before and after each session to help you get the most out of each workout.