5 Reasons to Stop Stretching Before You Exercise
There is a common myth that stretch machine workout is best before performing any workout especially in gym. Stretching for some seconds or minutes as a warm up such as stretching and touching your toes and others are done by many people but there are not advantages but disadvantages to stretch before start of any exercises.
There are number of reasons which tell why not to stretch before exercises as per the recent researches and they are:
- Decreases efficiency: Stretching may perform by number of peoples on gym as a warm up but the latest research on this concluded that it reduces the efficiency of the person on workout especially when exercises are like weightlifting. The stretching before exercise may be counterproductive most of the times which leads to feel you wobblier and weaker. The studies concluded that approximately 5.5% of your body muscle strength had been decreased if you stretched for 90 seconds and more than that which leads to decrease in efficiency.
- It enhances the chances of injury: another most common myth is that stretching may decrease the chances of injury during workout but the researches show the result which is its vice versa. The one of the main reason behind this is when you stretch your muscles for some time or seconds before workout then it actually tightens your muscles which leads to some muscle injury while workout. The overstretching is done by most of the peoples which creates problem on performance as well as susceptible to muscle strain problems.
- Counter warp up benefits: If you did any warm-ups before workout and performed stretching exercises just after warm up then it counters the result of warp up you did. The one of the primary reason behind this is when you do warm up exercises then it increases the heart rate and body temperature of the body which is suitable for the heavy exercises and on the other hand, the stretching exercises decreases the body temperature and heat rate which makes you to come back to the initial position. If you performed any stretching after warm up then again you need to start warm up exercises for the workout then only successful workout works, else it leads to injury to your muscles.
- It does not prevent injuries at all: you can hear this statement by most of the fitness experts and gym trainers that stretching prevents injury but as per the latest researches, it actually not. The studies concludes there is none any positive effects of stretching before workout is there which reduces risks of injuries and muscles strain during workout.
- It is not warm up: Most of the peoples combine the work or effects of warm up with stretching but the actual warm up exercise are aerobic exercises such as running on treadmill. The primary aim of warm up exercises to increase your body level in such extent that it is ready to perform workout also warm-ups performs lubrication between the joints which is not done by stretching exercises.
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Apart from the five above reasons for not to stretch before exercises, there are number of reasons which does not allow stretching because stretching is basically the cool down exercise not warm up. There are still number of peoples who perform stretching before and after exercise due to which an adverse effect of workout happens and none any changes seem on their body. The stretching is one of the best muscle relief exercises and it mainly performed due relax the muscles due to which it is performed after the exercise.
Doctors and physicians suggests stretching exercises for those who are suffering from any strain or muscle pain and stretching is best for such muscles issues which relaxes the muscles. The stretching slows down the heart rate and heat level of the body to its normal mode which make a person feeling relaxed and cool.
Stretching is a type of yoga exercise which aims not to make prepare body for heavy workouts but to make it cool down so this is one of the best type of cool down technique which must be performed after any workout but not before starting of any heavy workout such as power lifting.