Stretch before training – why you should stretch the muscle groups you want to work out
Remember, before any physical effort you must warm up and then stretch muscle groups that you are going to work on. That way you will achieve more performance and avoid injuries.
When we decide to go to the gym is to see results in our muscles, we want to see us very well and the mirror to reflect that image we love. But sometimes things do not seem to happen as we wish. So, what may be happening?
Only the experts doing sports are the ones that give true importance to the muscular stretches before any routine, because they already experienced the benefits and prejudices if we practice it or not.
Our muscles are like an engine, and our optimum performance in any sport is based on the proper functioning of the muscular system. Muscles should be able to do an entire stretching without much exhaustion.
Stretching exercises are designed to increase the innate capacity of muscle stretching in order to overcome and adapt the contraction reflex or stretch reflex. You do not need too many exercises to experience these things, but it’s important that you know it in order to never miss out on it.
It is advisable to perform stretching movement during warm-up, during training and at the end of sports activity.
It is important to always warm up before any stretching exercise, as it requires a good body temperature to get a good response of muscle tissue.
In addition to warming we achieve a good heart rate that optimizes our metabolism, the speed of transmission of the nerve impulse and the volume of blood that the tissues need according to the requirement to which we submit it.
Benefits of stretching muscle groups:
- Our muscles will be less tense
- We can achieve greater performance and coordination
- Our muscles will suffer less damage and will be prepared by making great and sudden efforts
- We take more attention to the knowledge of our muscle groups
- Improves our heart rate and blood supply
- Better absorption of the lactic acid that accelerates the muscular fatigue
- By not suffering damages and achieving better muscular performances we feel physically improved and satisfied
- It is important to do static and dynamic stretches, if you do a routine at least three times a week.
To be considered:
Never stretch beyond your ranges of motion by holding the stretch in ranges of 15 to 30 seconds and repeating 3 to 4 times for each muscle group.
Always remember to stretch only when you have warmed your muscles, otherwise your strength and muscle power may decrease.
In many cases of muscular tension and contractures, it is also necessary to stretch muscle groups to alleviate some pathology.