Exercise for Beginners: Stretching | Top TV Stuff

Exercise for Beginners: Stretching

You?ve probably heard all about how cardiovascular workouts and strength training are good for you. Cardio workouts ? dancing, aerobics classes, walking or running on a treadmill, biking, that sort of thing ? build a healthy cardiovascular system, which includes your heart, lungs, and blood vessels: The complex engine that makes your body go.

Cardio is also a great way to burn lots of calories, which should be a key goal if you?re trying to lose weight. Strength training is a pretty good calorie burner too, and builds the strong muscles and bones you need to get through everyday life.

But something really important is missing from this picture: There?s a third element of fitness that, if you practice it, can actually improve your performance in both cardio and strength training. It can even help make your day-to-day life more comfortable, and reduce your risk of injury. It?s called flexibility.

Not Your Grandpa?s Gym Class

You might have memories of an old high-school gym coach guiding you through bouncing ? or technically, ballistic ? stretches, urging you to bounce a little harder so you could force yourself to touch your toes. Well don?t worry, those days or over (or they should be).

Ballistic stretching actually increases your risk of injury because you?re using that bounce to force yourself beyond your body?s pain-free range of motion. Dynamic stretches, on the other hand ? which work your body within its current range of motion ? are a great way to loosen up before any workout that requires speed or power.

Good examples of safe, dynamic stretches include the type of arm and leg swings you?ll see a lot of CrossFit practitioners doing before they work out. A key point to keep in mind when you?re doing dynamic stretches is working within your pain-free range of motion, instead of pushing yourself past it and getting hurt.

A Static Endeavor

You may have learned static stretches ? the kind where you stretch to the point of tension in your muscle and hold it for a few seconds ? in gym class, too. These are a great way to increase flexibility after your workout. Key points to watch out for include stretching to the point of tension, not pain; breathing normally (no holding your breath!); and holding each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds, as recommended in this primer from the American Council on Exercise.

Always Warm Up

No matter which type of stretching you end up doing, you should always warm up with 5 to 10 minutes of gentle cardiovascular exercise beforehand. It?s best to do some activity that mimics your actual workout ? so a brisk walk if you?re going to run, or rowing lightly if you?re planning to row ? and then stretch the muscles your workout will focus on.

Hot-Button Controversy

The usual disclaimer would be that this post doesn?t take the place of medical advice or in-person advice from a fitness professional (which it doesn?t), yadda yadda yadda. But stretching draws more than its share of controversy, as beautifully illustrated by this NY Times blog entry. Ask 10 different fitness professionals how you should stretch, and you?ll probably get 10 different (and vehemently defended) answers.

So the best advice of all is to get in tune with your body and pay attention to it when you stretch (and pay attention to how you perform afterward). If?you pay attention to it, your body will let you know which methods work best for it.

Source: http://www.toptvstuff.com/blog/uncategorized/exercise-for-beginners-stretching/

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