One of the most debated questions in fitness is: Should you stretch before or after a workout? It turns out the answer is kinda complicated. To explain it all, I talked to Holly Roser, certified trainer and founder of Holly Roser Fitness. Below she’s breaking down everything you need to know about stretching before and after workouts, and sharing her fave stretches to try.
Should you stretch before your workout?
It turns out, not all pre-workout stretching is bad. But you do want to be careful about stretching “cold” muscles since they are more likely to tear (yikes). “It’s much easier to tear a muscle when your muscles are not warmed up,” says Roser. The same goes for stretching and working out; you should warm up first. “If you’re going from sitting at a desk all day to sprinting, you have to ensure your body is prepared for such a change, or you risk injury,” says Roser.
Once you’re all warmed up, Roser says you can do dynamic stretches, which are stretches that include movement. “Before your workout, ensure you’re warmed up for at least five minutes, ideally 10. This can include a dynamic warmup where you’re prepping your muscles for your workout by moving the joint through its full range of motion,” says Roser. “A dynamic stretching warmup will help prevent injuries and increase blood flow to the muscles being ready to use.”
So what exactly is a dynamic stretch? “Dynamic stretching includes walking lunges, butt kicks, hip circles, toe to hand touches, jumping jacks, leg swings, and trunk rotations just to name a few. Dynamic stretches take your body through similar moves which you”ll be doing during your workout,” says Roser. You’ll want to add dynamic stretches into your warmup if you’re looking to increase your range of motion, activate the muscles you’re about to use, and increase your overall performance.
Should you stretch after your workout?
Now that you know which stretches to do before a workout, you’ll want to carve out a few minutes to stretch post workout too. I know it sounds like a lot of stretching, but a few minutes here and there really adds up and your body will thank you later. “Stretching post-sweat session is just as important as bringing the muscle back to its original pre-workout state,” says Roser.
After your workout is when you can do static stretches safely. ICYWW, static stretches are what you probably think of first when you think of stretches (like the classic hamstring toe-touch stretch) where you stretch a muscle and hold it in place. “If you static stretch after your workout, you’ll decrease your risk of injury, increase flexibility, and reduce soreness,” Roser says.
To get the most bang for your buck, Roser says to focus on stretching the larger muscle groups in your body like your quads, hamstrings, back, and chest muscles since these most likely need some attention no matter what workout you just completed. “Static stretching or myofascial release aids in muscle recovery, bringing increased blood flow to the area and lengthening the muscle back to its optimal state,” says Roser.
Below are a few of her favorite stretches to do before your workout and the ones to fit in post-sweat session for better recovery.
4 dynamic stretches to do before your workout
1. Lunge with a twist
2. Hip circles
3. Inch Worms
4. Toe-hand kicks
4 static stretches to do after your workout
1. Hamstring stretch with a towel
2. Child’s Pose
3. Quad stretch
4. Calf stretch
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