Warm up, don’t stretch
Recent expert opinion suggests gradual warming to avoid injuries caused by stretching cold tight muscles
Aamir Khan doing warm up exercise. Despite how and when it needs to be done, fitness experts are unanimous in their opinion that stretching is important for mobility. They further agree that warmups are essential to ensure the body is prepped up before a run or game. But they suggest other ways of warming up. For instance, if you plan to jog or run, start off with a walk and increase the speed gradually.
Stretching before exercising or running is a must — or so we’ve been told. However, recently fitness experts appear to have moved away from the idea of pre-workout static stretches prior to a workout or any sporting activity, suggesting gradual warming instead, while claiming that stretching a cold tight muscle could lead to injuries and muscle tears.
Despite how and when it needs to be done, fitness experts are unanimous in their opinion that stretching is important for mobility. They further agree that warmups are essential to ensure the body is prepped up before a run or game. But they suggest other ways of warming up. For instance, if you plan to jog or run, start off with a walk and increase the speed gradually, they share. For weight lifters, say, they advise the weightlifters to start with lifting light weights and slowly increasing the weights during the course of the workout.
While sharing some more insights into the subject, Zaineb Ali, a certified Pilates instructor, explains, “Although often overlooked, warmup exercises are an important part of any exercise routine. However, warming up, as the term suggests, warms up the muscle by increasing one’s heart rate at a gradual pace, while minimising stress on the heart, increasing blood flow to the muscles and preparing the body for aerobic activities.”
A POSSIBLE HINDRANCE TO THE MUSCLES’ ABILITY
Using a static stretching programme before engaging in physical activity may inhibit the muscle’s ability to fire properly.
“The primary reason for this is a reduction in muscle tension and an increase in length between resting muscle fibres, which in
turn can directly affect the muscle’s ability to function optimally,” articulate Zaineb. Further illustrating his point, he adds, “Think of the tension in a rubber band. When you stretch a rubber band and hold that tension for a long time, you cause the rubber band to increase in length but it loses its stored energy (elasticity). The band’s tension is what allows the band to be functional.” In other words, Zaineb advises against
static
“Although often overlooked, warmup exercises are an important part of any exercise routine. However, warming up, as the term
suggests, warms up the muscle by increasing one’s heart rate at a gradual pace,” says Zaineb
Ali
stretching for warmup.
“You may hurt yourself if you stretch cold muscles,” she says. In fact, even recent studies caution against stretching before workouts, suggesting it actually impedes the body’s performance. According to a research, runners run more slowly, jumpers jump less high and weight lifters lift more weakly after stretching, without significantly ensuring injury during their exercise.