Stretching

Today's topic is STRETCHING. Stretching is a very important part of being your best athletic self. By definition stretching is to "straighten or extend one's body or a part of one's body to its full length, typically so as to tighten one's muscles or in order to reach something". Stretching may not seem like a very big deal, but it can be very helpful to your body.

Before any physical activity or workout I always stretch first. Not insane amounts of stretching, but just enough to check all of my muscle groups. When I stretch I move my muscles in different positions to make sure everything is ok physically, because the last thing you want is to start lifting or exercising with a potential injury. So always be cautious and stretch a little before your workouts.

After you've completed a workout it is a WONDERFUL idea to stretch. This stretching isn't like the stretching before the workout. With this stretching you're focusing on flexibility and recovery. I usually just do a few basic stretches and hold each one for a count of 10-15 seconds. I've found doing this after every workout has allowed for better flexibility and helps to break up lactic acid build-up in the muscles. So I HIGHLY recommend to do your stretching before and after your workouts!. Be better than you were yesterday.