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Training Tip: Stretching Is One Of The Most Overlooked And Underrated Aspects Of Muscular Growth.

This tip is suggested for just about all body parts and corresponding weight training exercises. Stretching is one of the most overlooked and underrated aspects of muscular growth. It has many more advantages than simply "warming up" a muscle before a workout. It is imperative to not only stretch before a workout, but during and after as well.

I constantly stretch out the particular body part I'm currently working on between sets. I feel this helps to add to the incredible pump I get and is crucial to attaining the long, lean look of well developed muscles.

Try incorporating stretching and contracting or flexing between sets as well as after your workout and enjoy the results. Have fun and Good Luck!


Response #1

I rarely see weight-trainers stretch before, during or after. This tells me they are all about looks, not performance. Ask an athlete, especially martial artists. I prefer to warm first, then hang from a bar and sway side to side, back and forth; do toe-touches - right hand to left foot, vice versa; finishing with a yoga-style bend-over, hang and eventually touch the toes, holding the toe touch 30 secs. I like to stretch each muscle group religiously after working it. After training, I do a session of yoga stretches. No, it ain't as much fun as throwing around weights, sure it takes extra time, but not only is the flexibility; agility and athleticism worth it, as Bruce Lee said: "A longer muscle is a stronger muscle."


Response #2

Remember these important statistics when attempting stretching. Less than 25-30 seconds yields the same results as not stretching at all. Doing a stretch for more than 30 seconds is like doing a stretch for exactly 30 seconds. "Bouncing" a stretch contradicts the flexibility you are trying to build. And never push your stretch to a painful extreme. Your body is telling you something, listen carefully to it.

Mark


Response #1 to Response #2

I cannot endorse the view that stretching for less than 25 to 30 seconds is the equivalent of not stretching at all. Michael J. Alter in his seminal work "Sports Stretch," suggests that maintaining a stretch for anything over 6 seconds yields the same benefit as a 30 second stretch. The issue of avoiding ballistic or 'bouncy' stretches is valid for all but experts. Stretching is most beneficial when done at increased core temperatures. Warm up on a treadmill or exercise bicycle for at least 10 minutes before starting your stretching routine. For maximum benefit, stretch after you have warmed down from your exercise routine and follow this with 8 to 10 minutes in a sauna or steam bath, again to keep core temperature up while the muscles begin to recover. Allow a period equal to that spent in the sauna/steam bath to cool down before dressing to avoid a 'post sweat' and try to replace the carbohydrates and proteins burnt off in your exercise session within an hour of completing your workout.



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