By Lori Oda, MS, ATC, LAT, NASM-CPT, Dayton Sports Medicine Institute
Over the past few years new stretching techniques are becoming more popular. Which leave athletes asking is there a right or wrong type of stretching? Which I reply, “There are different types of stretches for different times during your work-out.”
For an athlete’s warm-up it should include a light jog to get the muscles warmed up followed by Dynamic Stretching.
Dynamic Stretching involves moving your body parts through more sports specific motions. This is not to be confused with Ballistic stretching (Bouncing) which can be detrimental to the muscles. Dynamic Stretches help to loosen the muscles and increase blood flow. Examples of Dynamic Stretches would be the following; High knees, Butt kicks, Lunges, Side lunge, Karaoke, Straight leg march, and High skips etc…
Following activity Static Stretches should be done. Static Stretches are defined as reaching or holding the muscle to a point of tension for a set amount of time, they are used to increase flexibility.
Recent research shows that static stretches are not the most beneficial to the body during warm-up. Static stretches are great stretches for increasing range of motion and to help decrease tight muscles.
Everyone should incorporate stretching into their daily routine. It is best to warm-up and perform your dynamic stretches prior to a work-out and finish with your static stretching to increase or maintain your flexibility.
