Everything you need to know about Stretching

Stretching is usually the most underrated portion of any exercise routine. Most people tend to think that if you're not building strength or burning calories, then you're wasting your time. This couldn't be further from the truth!

Stretching is probably the single most important part of your exercise routine. You should start and finish every workout with some flexibility exercises. That being said, not all flexibility exercises are the same. So which ones are right for you?

Let's start by talking about the 3 primary types of flexibility exercises; static stretches, active stretches, and dynamic stretches.

A static stretch is when you hold a stretch for 30 seconds. An example of this would be crossing your legs and touching your toes to stretch your hamstring. Static Stretching is what most people think of as "stretching." Many trainers like to "foam roll" the same muscle groups to eliminate "knots" in the muscles and further improve the muscle's flexibility.

An active stretch uses an opposing muscle group to stretch a certain muscle group. An example would be to lie on the floor, hold your thigh at a 90 degree angle to the floor, and use your quad to extend your leg and stretch your hamstring. Active stretches should be held for 2-5 seconds and should be done about 10 times.

Dynamic stretches require multiple muscle groups to work together through an entire range of motion. A walking lunge with a twist is an example of a dynamic stretch. You should do about 10 of these at a controlled speed.

Generally speaking, you should finish every workout with 5-10 minutes of static stretching, regardless of your fitness level. It is important to lengthen your muscles after a workout, since they will naturally tighten if you don't. This could lead to muscle imbalances and future injuries. Not only that, it will make the recovery process a lot less painful!

If you are new to exercising, you could also begin each workout with static stretches. This will help you reduce the risk of injury as you're starting out, and it will also help you reduce many of your muscle imbalances. After a few weeks of training, you might be ready to warm-up with some active stretches. You'll be ready for these stretches once you've developed a good amount of muscular flexibility and coordination. Once you start doing high-intensity full-body workouts, you'll want to warm up with dynamic stretches.

So there's more to stretching than most people think! Now that you know, make sure you make stretching a part of every workout!