Stretching is only one of the components of fitness and one that is overlooked many times. Often stretching at the end of a workout is something like a quick quad stretch kind of like the picture above. The quad stretch is a great stretch, but only one of many that we need. Tight muscles can lead to joint pain, poor posture, etc. That will eventually limit our range of motion and in some cases effect breathing. Even as we get older we find ourselves getting stiff and tight. Flexibility training should be part of our exercise program. Some of my older adults stretch before getting out of bed in the morning and they tell me without any hesitation that this has been a saving factor as they aged. One thing I tell everyone is that stretching should be challenging. You should feel the stretch, but never cross the line into pain. Stretching for flexibility and fitness should not be painful.
The most common form of stretching that I use is static stretching. It is the safest especially for beginners. Keep in mind that you may have exercised for years running or walking for cardio and lifting weighs for strength training, but if stretching has not been a part of your routine, you are a beginner. Ballistic stretching is what I remember seeing on Ocean Drive in Corpus Christi when we walked or ran. It involved getting into the stretch position and actually using momentum to move farther into the stretch by bouncing and swinging. We don't do that so much anymore; i.e., forcing the body to do something. Dynamic stretching is a type of stretching that does involve moving a body part, but in a controlled fashion. In fact, I use dynamic stretching at times in the pool with my water exercise participants. Easy swinging in the water allows for full range of motion and then very slowly the range of motion is increased over time. If you are like most of us you will not immediately feel a change. It takes time. One last word of advise on stretching. Just because you see someone doing a stretch, doesn't mean it is being done correctly. Think about what you are doing. Check out a reputable book or a video or better yet, ask for help at your gym. This is not a time to "Monkey see, Monkey do" or you might just be the monkey.
