What time of day is best to stretch? Stretching before, during and after training: how not to harm muscle growth? Everyone should do stretching differently.

In this article, I will tell you the benefits of stretching during exercise and when to do it.

Perhaps you are bodybuilding in the gym, or you just want to get slim again after having a baby and train at home or in a club, either way, you need to ensure that your workout is not only effective, but also correct. Knowing how to stretch correctly increases the benefits of strength training and reduces the risk of injury.

You can see a lot of instructional videos on the Internet, but in order to stretch correctly and not harm yourself, you need to read the full information about stretching, this is especially important for beginners. By choosing, you can lose weight or gain muscle, and stretching will help you with this.

Stretching is a type of exercise aimed at increasing muscle elasticity and strengthening tendons and joints.

Stretching exercises are useful to perform and strength training, you can do them between approaches. It's also a good idea to work on stretching after a light warm-up before you start training.

After training, stretching exercises will be very beneficial for your body. After stretching, muscles relax and recover faster. Stretching before exercise increases muscle elasticity, thus preventing injury.

When to stretch?

At the beginning of a workout, stretching, along with a light warm-up, helps warm up the muscles and lift muscle tone.

After the end of the load, muscle stretching allows you to relax and gradually return to normal mode.

Between sets - helps relieve tension and fill muscles with oxygen and nutrients to quickly restore strength.

Benefits and harms

Stretching exercises will make your body more flexible and your muscles resistant to tension, both in sports and in everyday life. Stretched muscles They will easily allow you to bend over to pick up a fallen item or reach the top shelves of a closet. Stretching will also help relieve stress and reduce psychological stress.

At the same time, remember that jerky stretching can lead to negative consequences. You should not continue stretching if you feel pain. Severe tension in a muscle can lead to rupture and serious injury. Only regular exercise and a gradual increase in load will help achieve better results.

Contraindications

You cannot do stretching exercises in the following cases:

• You have a spinal injury.
• If there are fractures or cracks in the bones.
• In case of lower back diseases.
• For joint inflammation.
• With high blood pressure.

It is forbidden to stretch muscles if you have not done a good warm-up before doing so.

For beginners, it is better to spend several lessons with a trainer. Children should only do stretching under the supervision of a specialist. Exercising during pregnancy is not prohibited, but you need to carefully monitor your well-being, and at the slightest suspicion of danger, stop training and immediately consult a doctor.

Girls and women should also be careful when stretching during their cycle.

Types of stretching

• Static stretching

Performed only after finishing the main workout. They do not involve any sudden movements and are carried out over a long period of time. During a static stretch, you slowly stretch the muscles to the point of slight discomfort, remain in this position for at least 15 seconds, and then gradually move into initial position.

• Dynamic stretches

They are a combination of movement and stretching and are useful to do both before and after training. Dynamic stretching exercises are performed with a gradual increase in the amplitude and speed of movement. If the goal of your exercise is to lose weight, they will help you achieve results faster.

You can also use a combination of different types of stretches.

Techniques and types of stretching exercises

After warming up, your heart rate has increased and your blood circulation has improved. Now you can start stretching exercises.

Stretch your neck muscles, then work your arms and shoulders, move to your back, then stretch your legs.

When starting a static stretch, reach a phase of slight tension, stay at this point for 15-30 seconds and release yourself to the starting position. If you cannot stay in this pose, reduce the load and find a point that is comfortable for you.

After static stretching, move on to dynamic stretching. It is very important to avoid jerking! Increase the scope gradually, listen carefully to your sensations. Your breathing should be calm. If your body position prevents you from breathing, then you are doing the exercise incorrectly. Reduce muscle tension so you can breathe easily.

For joint warm-up it is necessary to perform circular movements 15–20 times in both directions.

An example of proper stretching

I suggest you master best exercises for stretching, for training at home or in the gym.

At home

Do the exercises below:

Neck muscle stretch

Perform all exercises 10 times. Make sure you have backed shoulders and a straight back. Look straight ahead. Don't forget that movements should be slow.

1. Tilt your head forward, try to touch your chin to your collarbones.
2. Turn your head to the right, pull your chin towards your shoulder. Do it on the left side.
3. Tilt your head back.
4. , try to touch your shoulder.
5. Perform circular movements with your head, first clockwise, then counterclockwise.

Shoulder and arm stretching.

Repeat all exercises 10 times.

1. Pull left hand forward, grab it just above the elbow with your other hand, pull your left hand to your chest. Repeat on the other hand.
2. Lock your fingers behind the back of your head. Pull their arms back.
3. Place your hand behind your back, bend it up, put the other hand behind your head and bend it down. Lock your fingers together. Pull your top elbow back.

Abdominal muscle stretch

Stop for 15 seconds in each position, repeat the exercises 5 times.

1. Lying on your stomach, place your palms to the left and right of your shoulders. Leaning on your hands, lift your torso and arch your back.
2. Return to the starting position. Without lifting your palms, get on all fours and try to sit with your buttocks on your heels.
3. Do the bridge exercise. Lying on your back, lift your torso using your palms and feet.

Stretching the muscles of the back and lower back

Perform the exercises 3-4 times.

1. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Rounding your back, bend over and try to reach the floor.
2. Slowly bend over with your back straight, reaching your toes towards your feet.
3. Bend over and grab your knees with your hands. Pull your stomach and chest towards your straightened legs.
4. Place your knees on the floor, then sit with your buttocks on your legs. Bend towards the floor, stretch your arms forward. This exercise is for.
5. Sit on the floor, stretch your legs forward and to the sides. Raise your arms up and bend towards your left leg, try to touch it with your chest. Repeat on the right leg.

Perform the same torso tilt forward, between your legs.

Leg muscle stretching

Do the exercises 2-3 times.

1. Stand straight, step your left foot far forward. Bend left leg in the knee, keep your right straight at the back. Aim your pelvis down. Repeat on the other leg.
2. Sit on the floor, bring your feet together, closer to you. Press your hands on your knees to lower them to the sides, closer to the floor.

In the gym

All the exercises described above can be performed at home or in the gym.

Additionally, in the gym you can use a treadmill or bicycle for initial warm-up. Before the beginning strength training In the gym, it will be useful to do several approaches with light weights on the muscle groups that will be worked. If you're going to bench press with heavy weights, you can do push-ups. Do 15 squats without additional load if you plan on barbell squats.

To stretch your spine and give your body a rest, you can do a hang on the horizontal bar in the gym.

Always stretch slowly and avoid pain. Start stretching the muscles as you exhale, and when you reach the greatest stretch, hold your breath for a few seconds.

Sets and reps

Perform all exercises no less than 3 and no more than 10 approaches. Hold at the point of maximum stress for 15–45 seconds.

How long should you stretch?

Do the exercises until you feel tired.

Common mistakes

All stretching exercises should be performed slowly, carefully monitoring the load. Never stretch without warming up. Don't try to fulfill difficult exercises, for example, sit on cross twine, without special training.

Stretching exercises are available to any athlete, even those just starting out from scratch. Stretching muscles is very useful, because it increases resistance to stress and reduces the likelihood of injury.

Also, don't forget about proper nutrition, drink at least 2 liters of water every day, get enough sleep, and think more about results achieved, and not about what is not working out yet. If you found this article useful, please like and share this information on social networks.

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“It is very important to be flexible in everyday life,” says my trainer at the fitness club. And he's right!

Stretching exercises are useful for everyone, regardless of the degree sports training and age. They help create a flexible and graceful figure, protect joints from possible injuries, and also improve posture, increase self-esteem and self-confidence.

"Cleo" reveals secrets effective stretching, after which you will certainly feel more energetic and younger.

Why do we need stretching?

Stuffy offices and sedentary monotonous work lead to the fact that we quickly get tired, get nervous over trifles, decrease muscle tone, crooked posture, and generally deteriorate our health.

In yoga, a special place is given to stretching exercises, because flexible body gives us a feeling of complete harmony.

Regular stretching helps you feel much better, relieve stress and restore your former flexibility. A person doing stretching has healthy ligaments and joints. His joints move in full range - this reduces the risk of injury during any sports activities.

Yoga teachers say that flexible body and good stretch- a sign of youth. In yoga, a special place is given to stretching exercises, since a flexible body gives us a feeling of complete harmony.

What are the benefits of stretching?

But before you start stretching, you need to understand how they are beneficial for our body.

So, what exactly do stretching classes provide:

• Stimulates blood flow and lymph circulation in the body.
• Increased flexibility. Thanks to stretching classes, you will feel tall, slender and flexible, and your posture will change for the better.
• Stretching exercises have a relaxing effect on muscles and also relieve various pains that arise due to stress and nervous tension.
• Some aging processes in our body slow down.
• Stretching exercises effectively tone muscles, while psycho-emotional tension, on the contrary, decreases.
• With regular stretching, the muscles being trained maintain their elasticity because they receive enough blood and nutrients.
• Stretching exercises prepare you for your workout. If you are planning to go to Gym, do your morning stretches. This will prime your body for physical activity and prevent muscle damage.
• Conversely, stretching exercises given at the end training session, help muscles recover faster.

How to stretch correctly

Now let's find out what you should pay attention to when stretching.

Start with a warm-up. Before starting classes, you need to literally warm up your body - after this, the connective tissue will become more susceptible to stretching. Warming up will make your muscles flexible and elastic, which will reduce the risk of injury during the main workout.

Experts recommend a light 10-minute aerobic session. Exercises such as walking in place or on a treadmill or jumping rope are perfect for this.

Warming up will make your muscles flexible and elastic, which will reduce the risk of injury during the main workout.

Hold each exercise in the program for 30-60 seconds at the maximum point of stretching (a feeling of discomfort in the muscles, but not to the point of pain). After that, repeat this element 3-4 more times, and then stretch another muscle group.

Don't forget about breathing correctly - do not hold the air and do not rush to exhale. Breathe calmly and evenly, and in between exercises, do deep breath and exhale completely.

When should you not stretch? Stop stretching immediately if you experience the following symptoms:

• Dizziness
• Tingling or burning in the extremities
• Muscle spasm
• Unexplained crunching or clicking in the body

A small “but” about ligaments

When you feel pain in a joint, you are most likely pulling a ligament rather than a muscle. Ligaments are responsible for the stable position of joints: when a ligament is sprained, the joint relaxes and can be easily injured.

But what to do during an injury? During a stretch, blood circulation is disrupted, the injured muscle does not move - this can lead to its atrophy. Therefore, light stretching will not hurt; it can be done from the first day of injury.

It only remains to add that you can do stretching exercises at any time to feel good and improve your mood. Be flexible and healthy!

How often do you end a workout without doing enough stretching? And if you do these exercises, when exactly? And for what? In this article, you will learn why it is so important to know not only how to stretch, but also why to do it. This is very important point in sports and fitness, so it's time to correct all the mistakes.

You're not just stretching muscles

Every time you stretch, you are using other tissues as well as muscles. It also stretches the fascia, the connective tissue that covers your muscles, blood vessels and nerves. Don't forget about the tendons that connect muscles to bones. So the next time you stretch, think about the fact that you're using more than just your muscles.

Everything is connected

The human body is made up of interconnected soft tissues. These tissues run through the entire body, connecting everything to each other, sometimes starting from the very tips of the fingers and ending at the head. Given the fact that everything in the body is connected so tightly, local stretching easily turns into global stretching. In other words, if you stretch one area of ​​soft tissue, you are also affecting other areas of your body to which it is connected.

Stretching deactivates muscles

Stretching a muscle reduces its ability to contract at this point. This is very important knowledge that can help you activate other muscles. For example, if you are doing a hamstring stretch, you can also do gluteal muscles. It is worth understanding that stretching a muscle does not make it useless, but it does significantly reduce its ability to contract.

Everyone should do stretching differently.

Each person is unique; everyone’s muscles have different lengths, elasticity and other parameters. Does not exist ideal program stretches that would suit every person. Just like when tuning a musical instrument, you only need to engage the “strings” that need adjustment. It is very important to know and understand your own body, and then make adjustments based on existing knowledge.

Breathing affects stretching

Deep breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which allows the body to relax. During meditation, this technique is used especially actively, as in yoga, which, in essence, is about proper breathing. When the body is relaxed, muscle tension subsides. When you stretch, you can use your breathing to increase your range of motion.

Stretching Can Be a Waste of Time

Stretching can be a waste of time if your body needs to maintain tension to stabilize. A great example is the hamstrings, which are used to maintain abdominal stability through pelvic movements. It doesn't matter how long you stretch your hamstrings, as they will still become tight if you have weak muscles press.

Stretching can cause injury

Adhesion, scars and so on make soft tissues weak and vulnerable. If you strain worn tissue through intense stretching, you can cause even more damage to it. Imagine elastic band, which is tied in the center with a knot. If you stretch it, the knot will be tied more and more tightly, thereby forming microcracks. To avoid such damage, you need to massage the worn tissue so that it can heal faster.

Stretching is not a warm-up

Static stretching is present at the beginning of a training session and is part of a corrective exercise program, but should not be thought of as a warm-up. Getting your joints moving and familiarizing your body with the movements you'll be doing during your workout are much more beneficial ways to prepare for it. Stretching should be a corrective exercise and nothing more!

It is better to do stretching separately from the main exercises.

Stretching can be done at any time, but when your body is relaxed, it will be most effective in adjusting length muscle tissue. It is best to do stretching in the evening. If you try to stretch during a workout, you will find that your sympathetic nervous system active, as a result, it is difficult for your muscles to relax. However, you can still perform special stretching exercises designed for active phases of training.

Stretching is three dimensional

The human body has more than 600 muscles, and they all have different directions. When you do these types of exercises, you should think about the angle and direction of the muscles you want to stretch. Even if you spin your legs different directions, you will use different muscles. If stretching seems too simple and ineffective, try modifying it.

This is a set of muscle stretching exercises that allows you to develop joint flexibility, elasticity of tendons and ligaments. Classes are necessary for athletes and ordinary people who do not have special physical activity, are carried out as part of the prevention of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Before training, you should learn about the types of stretching and how many times a week you need to stretch to achieve results.

Benefits of regular exercise

The main benefit of stretching is improving coordination of movements, flexibility and plasticity of the body. The benefits of exercise include:

• reducing the likelihood of injury;
• improving the quality of movements, which is important for dance training and fitness;
• elimination of back and lumbar pain;
• normalization of blood circulation.

In addition, you will be in a great mood to do everyday activities, choreography and various types sport becomes easier.

Types of stretching

There is a soft and deep type of stretching. In the first case, the muscles are stretched only to their characteristic length. The deep look involves stretching to an unusual length.

For beginners, it is better to start with static exercises.

Types of stretching:

• Static- ideal for beginners. The point of the exercises is that the muscles are tensed and kept motionless for some time.
• Dynamic- similar to static stretching, but the muscles first tense and relax after a certain time.
• Active- muscles that are in a passive state are stretched by the work of surrounding muscles.
• Isometric- the exercise is based on the principle of counteraction and is performed in four stages: tension and relaxation of the muscles, and then stretching them and fixing them in a new state.
• Ballistic- ideal for people who do not have good stretching, this type will not work. There are rapid movements with a sharp increase in amplitude.
• Proprioceptive neuromuscular- the main task is to restore joint mobility after injuries, illnesses or operations. Represents physical therapy.

To answer the question of how many times a week you need to do stretching, you should consult with a specialist, especially when it comes to proprioceptive neuromuscular training. The doctor will determine optimal quantity classes.

Contraindications for stretching

Every sport has contraindications, stretching is no exception. People should not do it:

• With recent fractures- if your cast is removed, this does not mean that you immediately need to run to training. The bones should recover, after which stretching can begin.
• With dislocations- you should wait until the ligaments return to normal.
• With problems of cardio-vascular system, joints and spine.

Expectant mothers also need to be careful about stretching. If there are no problems with the course of pregnancy, there are no other contraindications, then stretching will only be beneficial and will help prepare for childbirth. Of course, the exercises are performed under the close attention of the instructor.

It is recommended to attend training 2-4 times a week, devoting 30-50 minutes to classes. Stretching is not just a five-minute warm-up before the main power loads, but a full-fledged business that requires a sufficient amount of time, because this is the only way to achieve success.

How to exercise correctly

An intensive warm-up will help your muscles do their best when performing complex elements.

Before training, warm up your muscles and prepare for the exercises. It's important to support even breathing. Do not stretch through the pain, because this is fraught with injuries and dislocations. Only mild pain that does not cause discomfort may be present. You need to stretch all muscles and spend the same amount of time on them.

The form of clothing plays a big role. Choose tracksuits made from durable materials: polyester, nylon, elastane. It is better to exercise in tight-fitting clothing, which helps distribute heat throughout the body, which helps eliminate extra pounds. At the same time, follow your sleep and nutrition schedule.

Any stretching session consists of a warm-up, special exercises for flexibility and stretching, muscle relaxation. The main thing is to train regularly, without skipping, and consult with doctors about contraindications. Then the answer to the question of how many times a week you need to do stretching will not cause difficulties.

Stretching with Anix Dance school trainers

Anix Dance invites everyone to attend classes in . Professional instructors will help you improve your physical condition, recover from injuries, and adjust your weight. The training programs are designed in such a way that the necessary muscle groups are worked out, and the results are noticeable after just a few sessions.

You can choose a training schedule that is convenient for you. We provide the opportunity to study both in a group and individually. Group training will allow you to meet new interesting people and achieve your goals together with them. Individual lessons are suitable for those who want to concentrate on stretching and perform exercises under the supervision of a teacher.

Sometimes it seems to me that there is a real war going on around me about videos teaching split stretching. They offer to do the splits in 15, 10, and even 5 minutes. in a day! Who is faster? The funniest thing is to watch when gymnasts and acrobats give unimaginable recommendations to “beginners” to do a cross split between two chairs and show them warming up before this in the form of tilting their head and body, optimistically encouraging them in the spirit of “the main thing is to believe in yourself!” No one has canceled their faith in themselves, but such advice is simply not safe. Here are 7 of the most common and terrible mistakes in split stretching, which at best do not allow you to achieve results, and at worst, injure the body. If you learn to avoid these mistakes, you can finally reach your cherished goal.

Since I often had to deal with beginners and people with different natural abilities, I tried many different split stretching techniques. And I came to the conclusion that the key word in this process is not “faster”, but “better quality”.

How does the scenario usually develop for newcomers chasing speed? A slight improvement in stretching, severe strength that does not allow you to continue training, and the dream of doing the splits remains a dream. If you want to do the splits while training at home, then the idea of ​​10 minutes. per day, leave it to people who are prepared, who no longer need recommendations. The more you learn about dangerous mistakes and learn how to avoid them, the healthier and more enjoyable your stretching process will be!

So, most of these errors are related to our physiology, but some of them have their roots in our psychological processes.

1. Short, not intense warm-up

This mistake is No. 1 for a reason. For good stretching you need a very high-quality warm-up. What does it mean? The fact that you had good aerobic exercise (any cardio, running, jumping, dancing) and your body is literally on fire, you are slightly (or maybe not slightly) sweating and you feel softness throughout your body. The duration of such active warming up is from 15 to 30 minutes. (note: one good warm-up will take more than 15 minutes.). Why is such a warm-up necessary? Only in this state are your muscles really ready for manipulation - they are soft and warm, you won’t need much effort to stretch them. Another nice fact is that the pain level is much lower when the body is warmed up this way! Although I would not recommend doing the splits right away, it is better to do the previous exercises, for example, a tuck, leg swing, or something of your choice.

2. Too much effort at first

New ideas really light us up and at first we are ready to give 200%. But there will be no benefit from such zeal. The fact is that when you just start stretching, the first successes are very easy and it seems that if you put in a little more effort, you will certainly do the splits. But muscles are structured differently; they need time to get used to stretching. Otherwise, you risk overstretching them or causing injury. So it’s better to be prepared for the fact that it will take time. Set yourself a certain period, for example 2 months, during which you will work with a gradual complication of the process. During your first workouts, try to do the minimum necessary and no more.

3. Skipping a workout due to a slight sore throat

When stretching, even a very “correct” slight soreness cannot be avoided, but it should not be confused with the soreness that arose during an injury or after an inadequate warm-up. If you are faced with the latter, then 3 days is the minimum you should wait for re-training. But if you have mild soreness, don’t be scared and quit classes. Let us once again indicate that slight pain is a normal accompaniment of any stretching and an indicator that there are changes. You should get used to it and learn to overcome it (if we are talking about “healthy” strength), otherwise, if you skip training, you can simply lose your achievements. However, if the pain occurs as a result of the mistakes described above, then take a time out, otherwise you risk injuring your muscles.

4. Uneven rhythm of classes

As practice shows, the first two days are the most productive for those who have just started stretching; then the truly experienced usually go further. If there is no specific training schedule that you can really stick to, then you can say goodbye to the splits right away. Stretching requires strict discipline. Decide how many times a week you will exercise (less than 3 times makes no sense) and do not deviate from this rhythm. If you suddenly miss work, be sure to make up for it the next day. The fact is that muscles take a very long time to acquire the coveted elasticity and very easily lose it. Therefore, it is a big mistake to violate your training regimen.

5. Lack of additional motivation

This may seem strange, but for some reason very often the desire to do the splits is not enough. The appearance of additional, even the smallest motivation, unimaginably speeds up the process, makes it more exciting and interesting. Imagine my surprise when one day during my stretching class I said that I would give a chocolate bar to the participant who did the splits today. I was amazed with what zeal the adults and beautiful girls started trying hard and (what's most amazing!) one of them actually did the splits! A competition with a friend, a photo battle, or a promise to yourself of something big after achieving your goal! You can come up with anything! Collect as many additional motivations as possible and they will inspire you again and again!

6. Replacing the warm-up with a hot bath

They often suggest taking a hot bath instead of warming up. It sure is tempting to take a bath and be ready to stretch! However, during warm-up, completely different physiological processes occur! The joints are lubricated with synovial fluid, all tissues become elastic and protected from injury. By taking a bath, you will simply increase blood circulation, which will also warm up your muscles, only the nature of the warming will be completely different and the body will not truly prepare for stretching. In addition, the “validity” of such a warm-up is very short, unlike warm-up during a warm-up. I would recommend using a hot bath after training as a preventive measure against soreness, but nothing more.

7. The desire to give up when the goal is very close

We can say that this mistake is a sublimation of the six previous ones. Unfortunately, we often want to give up at the very end of the road. You almost have the splits, there is very little left, but you are distracted by other things. Fatigue and dissatisfaction have accumulated because the goal has not yet been achieved. You break your schedule and put off your workout. Time passes and you still gather your strength, but you find that the result has deteriorated greatly and you are thrown back again. You train intensely and the next day you suffer from sore throat and you no longer have any desire to continue training. This is a common scenario, unfortunately. What to do? You just need to be prepared for such a moment. But the most important thing is to consciously track when this decrease in enthusiasm will visit you and use the “heavy artillery”! Try radically changing the way you stretch, or try a group class if you usually do it alone. It will also be effective to remember all your additional motivations. But sometimes you can give yourself a little rest. It's up to you to decide!