Why is stretching important? Pt. 2
Last time I wrote about how stretching can help maximize your performance and generate more power & force in your work outs. If you missed it click here.
Not only can skipping a stretch keep you from reaching your maximal potential but it can also increase the chances of an injury. That’s usually something we try to avoid when exercising, right? Tight muscles can alter the range of motion in your joints if they aren’t able to stretch to its optimal capacity. An example of this is having a shorter running stride because of tight hip flexors. When we alter the range of motion of a joint this leads to biomechanical and neuromuscular dysfunction. In layman's terms your brain is telling your body to perform an action and it physically cannot because it is biomechanically restricted. Does this mean that we don’t perform the job? Nope, we still continue with the action but our body now recruits other muscles to do the job creating a substitution in the movement pattern.
A change in movement pattern over time leads to muscle imbalances creating stress on the body. The body can perceive this stress as an injury. My NASM certification training calls this the “cumulative injury cycle” in which the body treats the dysfunction as an injury and as a result will initiate a repair process. This repair process leads to an inflammatory response in the body, which turns on the body’s pain receptors and muscle tension or spasms can happen in an effort to protect the body. Ouch.
All this from not stretching? Well kind of. Technically all this is a result of a lack of an integrated program that includes flexibility training. Flexibility training- which includes SMR, stretching, pilates & yoga- helps to improve muscle imbalances, increase joint range of motion, increase muscle pliability, and relieve tension on the joints. Incorporating a stretching routine before & after workouts and incorporating Pilates into your routine can keep you doing what you love longer and minimize the aches in pains. This is why I incorporate it into my training programs for myself and my clients. Check out this at home Pilates routine mix it into your routine and let me know how you feel afterwards! I’d love to hear if you felt a difference!
Xo,
Laura
