4 REASONS TO NEVER STRETCH AGAIN
STRETCHING DOESN'T DO WHAT IS CLAIMED
The general claim is that stretching will help you warm up
and relax your muscles, and it's good for you. It is actually
believed that it is important to stretch before training or
racing. Sorry to disappoint you but stretching does not do
any of those things. To warm up before training, you need
to actually do a "warm up" routine. Instead of relaxing
muscles, stretching actually tenses them and can tear the
muscles, so if you feel sore and tense after your stretching
routines, now you know why.
STRETCHING CAN TEAR MUSCLES
As mentioned above, stretching can tear muscles. Stretching
is a very damaging, violent and forceful action upon your
muscles whether you're doing it fast or slow. As part of a
human body, muscles have only 2 functions - to contract and
to relax. When you start stretching your muscles, which goes
against their natural state of being or working, they react
by contracting which puts an unexpected and unnecessary stress
on the tissue and can tear it.
STRETCHING IS NOT FLEXIBILITY
Majority of people do not know the difference between the
two, and many consider both one and the same, but it is a
guarantee that everyone is after being flexible not stretchable.
Dictionary.com provides very good meanings for both words:
Stretching
-To lengthen, widen, or distend
-To extend or enlarge beyond the usual or proper limits
-To wrench or strain (a muscle, for example)
-To subject to undue strain
Flexibility
-the property of being flexible; easily bent
Read more on this subject here FLEXIBILITY vs STRETCHING
STRETCHING HAS VERY LIMITED PURPOSE AND EFFECT
While stretching does have a purpose, it is a very limited
one and has nothing to do with sports. Stretching can be used
for rehabilitation purpose and can be relatively useful, but
there are other and better ways of rehabilitating.
So next time out training, start with a good warm up routine
appropriate for your sport instead of mindlessly stretching
yourself to injuries.
Article by Dr.Romanov
Composed by L. Romanov
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