STRETCHING: ESSENTIAL OR UNNECESSARY?

When it comes to talk about stretching, everyone fairly radical views on the matter: there are purists who devote a significant part of their training time to stretch before and / or after exercise and those who do not practice at all for fear of injury or lazy.

Tenue : adidas Top + Veste + Legging + Baskets  – photo Maxime Lelong

There are lots of misconceptions about stretching:

• We need to stretch after exercising otherwise you may have muscle aches
• A stretch should last at least 30 seconds to be effective
• Stretching after exercise is the guarantee to recover faster or otherwise traumatize the muscle and increasing recovery time.

Should we stretch?

In absolute and my experience, yes!

Stretching makes it more flexible, can mobilize postural chain & improve posture in everyday life.

If you regularly back ache or very little mobility in the hips, daily stretching can perform small miracles. The extension and the mobilization of muscle fibers will help to develop your flexibility and range of your actions.

Should stretch before exercising?

Tenue : adidas Top + Legging + Baskets – photo Maxime Lelong

Not necessarily.

No study proves the benefits preliminary stretching during exercise, and too much stretching can even lead to a certain muscle fatigue.

So unless you are a gymnast or dancer, you do not generally need to stretch. Better mobilize joints by rotating his wrists and his knees up!

Is it necessary to stretch after exercise?

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Several studies have shown that stretching after exercise had no effect on preventing aches.Stiffness are indicative of muscular micro-lesions: lesions is quantified through the plasma concentration in the blood creatine kinase.

Studies prove it, stretching had no effect on creatine kinase and do not fall drastically making their concentration in the blood.

If you want to test yourself, after an effort, does stretch one leg (or arm) on two and see the result!

So when I stretch?

Tenue : adidas Top + Legging + Baskets – photo Maxime Lelong

Overall I try to stretch myself a little every morning to maintain good mobility and slowly after exercise.

Indeed, after exercise the muscles remain in a shortened position, a short stretch (less than 30 seconds) will release the actin-myosin bridges that make up the muscle fiber. Basically, it does not hurt you, provided you do not like being forced to yoga!

If you wish to become more flexible, however, take up yoga is a great idea!

And you then? You stretch yourself or you go rather drink a beer?