Loosening Techniques Before Stretching Exercises

When it comes to stretching for flexibility and preventive maintenance, people sometimes fall into one of two extremes: they refuse to stretch at all prior to a workout or they perform static stretches that may do more harm than good. Stretching has its benefits, but it's unwise to jump into a stretching routine cold. Before stretching, you should engage your muscles, tendons and ligaments in different ways to loosen them up properly.

  1. Dynamic Warm-ups

    • Catch a glimpes of world-class athletes before any major sporting event and you're likely to see them warming up with light exercises. Jogging and perfoming high knees, trunk twists and other exercises that push your joints to their maximal range without exceeding it can prepare you for the rigors of a workout or a more intense stretching routine. Warm-ups increase blood flow, raise your body temperature and may reduce the risk of injury.

    Active Stretching

    • If you are going to stretch before a workout, active stretches are the way to go, according to exercise physiologist Jessica Matthews. Active stretches mimic sports-specific movements that lengthen the fascia and connective tissue around the muscles while functionally preparing the body for movement. Performing lunges is an example of an active stretch to prepare the body for running.

    Massage

    • Sometimes trying to lengthen and stretch muscles through dynamic movements is easier said than done, especially if you're dealing with chronic injuries and tightness. Sports massage therapy can prevent injuries and loss of mobility, restore mobility to injured muscle tissue, and extend the life of your sporting career. If you don't want to pay an expert to do it for you, invest in a foam roller, which will allow you to massage yourself. A 2011 study conducted by researchers at the University of Granada suggested that preworkout massage reduced muscle tension, but did not yield improvements to muscular performance.

    Cooling Down

    • Just like your muscles can tighten up painfully if you stretch them cold without loosening them first before you work out, failing to cool down properly after your workout with light exercise and loosening techniques can adversely affect your muscles. Intense exercise results in lactic acid buildup, and trauma from resistance exercises can cause muscles to spasm and tighten up. Relax them after a workout with the same techniques you use prior to training. If you want to do static, or holding stretches, now is the time. Consider adding heating and icing sessions both before and after your workouts to promote healing and growth to strained muscles.