0 How to Stretch Properly

Stretching, although is something very beneficial for us, can also, if not done properly or safely, lead to injury.
It would definitely be a good idea to get into a routine, which if you are wanting to I'll provide this link for you to follow: How to Create a Stretching Routine.

Here are some rules for when you are stretching, or guidelines for you to follow.

1. When Should you Stretch

If you are someone who is involved in sport or are a person who exercises on a regular basis, then it is important that you stretch your muscles often so that they are able to cope with the pressure that you are putting them under, before and after taking part.
If you are serious about exercise/sport, then you should likewise be serious about stretching and set yourself an allotted amount of time to see to your tighter, stiffer areas of your body. It's important to stretch before and after exercise.

Now, is there a particular time of the day that is best to stretch? Well... no there isn't. So stretching in the morning is as beneficial as stretching in the evening. However, for best results, it's good to stretch periodically throughout the day. So maybe 5-10 minutes per session (or longer) and have multiple sessions throughout the day. You could even do it while watching the T.V. You should adjust the time of each session to compensate for your skill-level and/or demand you are putting on your body through rigorous activity.

For warming up, dynamic stretches are the most effective. Passive, static, or PNF stretches are best for cooling down. If you want to know more about the types of stretches I'll redirect you here: Types of Stretches.

2. Specific Stretches for Specific Areas?

When first starting a stretching program/routine, most people are beginners to stretching and don't know too much about it - which is expected. The normal beginning routine involves a general range of stretches that target multiple areas of the body. The idea behind this is to reduce overall body tension whilst improving the body's overall flexibility. As people progress and their flexibility improves, their range of movement increases, and the next stage should be started.

The second stage is to work on specific areas that are tight or need attention because of activities/sports we participate in. It is important to isolate the chosen muscle group(s). So for example, if you want to focus on your hamstrings then do stretches that stretch the hamstrings. Maybe even focus on one hamstring at a time instead of trying to do both at the same time. If you play a lot of football, you will want to focus a lot on stretching your legs, ankles, and feet.

Remember, stretching will take time to see results, you can't expect to become flexible in just a week, it will take months.

3. Posture


Posture is easily neglected when it comes to stretching but is critical to the benefits of stretching. Having good posture will mean that your muscles are getting the best stretches that your body can offer because they can stretch the muscle to its fullest extent and not put unnecessary pressure on other parts of the body.

Bad posture can lead to imbalances in the muscles which can lead to injury. Having incorrect posture could bring pressure away from the muscle group you are targeting and may place unwanted pressure on other muscles or a disproportionate amount of pressure on only a certain muscle in the targeted muscle group.

4. Stretch Slowly

Try not to go into a stretch as quick as a racehorse running around a track. You don't want to give yourself strains or muscles tears. Your movements should be slow and gentle when performing stretching.

5. Stretch to the Point of tension, Not Past

A common belief that many people hold when stretching is that if they're not feeling the pain or great amount of tension on their muscles, then they're not benefiting. This should not be the case, and performing stretching like this could lead to injury. Our bodies have a defence mechanism when we stretch to the point of pain called the "stretch reflex". This "stretch reflex" kicks in when our body's feel the need to avoid damage happening to the muscles, joints and tendons. Your muscles and tendons will become contracted and therefore unable to be stretched.

Stretching, believe it or not, can actually be a relaxing activity. Don't stretch to the point of pain but instead to the point of tension, not past it, but to it. Only stretch to where you are comfortable. If you stretch regularly then your muscle will become stretched over time, you don't need to forcibly try to get them there - be patient.

6. Holding the Stretch

When it comes to how long you hold each stretch, this brings up some conflicting ideas. I believe that though there are conflicting ideas, 20-30 seconds (except active isolated stretching) seems to be sufficient. Personal experience can play a part in deciding how long you hold your stretches for too. For example: you may feel that 15 seconds is too short but find that posture diminishes at around the 45 second mark, and so adjust accordingly to around the 30 second mark. However, for those who play sport competitively, then the stretch time should be increased to 45-60 seconds due to the higher demand that their muscles are placed under.

7. How Long Should you Stretch for

This question again returns different answers for different people with different purposes. For beginners 10 minutes or so should be sufficient, whilst professional athletes should be stretching for 1-2 hours. And of course we can adjust our time between these two levels for where we think we are.

8. Breathe Slowly

Many people hold their breath while they stretch, unconsciously, as they're concentrated on making sure they correctly execute the stretch. Breathing slowly and gently can help to relax ourselves and help to relax our muscles and promote blood flow, so make sure you keep breathing.