In the collective unconscious, and since our first sports lessons at school, stretching seems essential to us in our sports routine. However, most athletes are unaware of the need for these exercises and the benefits to be gained from them for our body.
Feed. enlightens you.
“Stretch, if you don’t want to hurt yourself!” Every athlete has heard this advice at least once. At that point, we execute. We stretch, we imitate our teacher, trainer, or friend in his stretching, as this seems to him to be important and obvious to avoid injuries. Which suits us very well at the moment. But, when we find ourselves alone in training, our actions become approximate or sloppy. They are carried out without knowing their necessity for our good form, at the risk of putting tension on the muscle fibers and feeling pain or even causing an injury.
Stretching: good or bad for the body?
It only takes a simple internet search to realize that there are divergent opinions on the benefits of stretching on your health.
Some sports professionals advise them and present them as essential in addition to a sporting activity. For them, stretching helps prepare the muscle for exercise or promotes recovery when done after training. For others, stretching can cause pain at best, or even promote connections on muscle fibers and therefore increase the risk of injury.
One thing is certain: you must know at least the subject, to know how to adapt the use of these exercises according to the moment and the objective you wish to achieve. Stretching your muscle is not an action with a single, repeated effect. Moreover, there are different stretching exercises: Passive, Active or Postural. Each has its own characteristics and benefits, if done correctly.
Passive, active or postural stretching: what are the differences for what objectives?
Passive stretching.
It's what ? Passive stretches are the ones we do most often. They are performed in different positions by stretching the muscle slowly either by self-manipulation or using a support.
For what ? The aim here is to relax the muscle and relieve tension suffered during exercise. This exercise facilitates the intake of nutrients and the elimination of toxins, which promotes recovery and reduces soreness.
At what moment ? It is recommended to perform these exercises after training or after a match for example. 15 seconds is enough per muscle. Above all, you should not try to go to the maximum stretching range. This could weaken the fibers and cause damage.
Active stretching.
It's what ? Active stretching is done dynamically. They consist of regular, repeated pendulum movements to gradually reach a maximum amplitude in the movement (eg: swinging your leg back and forth, or from left to right).
For what ? We seek to actively use our muscles to better prepare them for exercise.
At what moment ? These stretches are to be used as a warm-up, which helps reduce the risk of muscle injury.
Postural stretching.
It's what ? Postural stretching is similar to passive stretching exercises. It is advisable to try to stretch the muscle gradually and smoothly towards maximum amplitude, hold the body position for a few seconds before repeating the action.
For what ? They increase the flexibility of the muscle. This will be able to adapt more easily to prolonged or constrained efforts. They can have positive effects on physique and posture. They can be recommended in case of back pain, or to straighten your shoulders for example.
At what moment ? It is recommended to do these movements on a separate time from training and/or competitions. It is best to do a light warm-up a few minutes before the session. The muscle must be worked hot. Tip: practice this type of session, once or twice a week, for 1 minute.
Stretching is therefore important for your good muscular health if you do it correctly. You will no longer have excuses. :)
