Anyone whose goal is to add as much muscle as they can requires heavy weight, lots of food, rest, and patience. There is also one more to add to the list and that is stretching. Stretching helps improve athletic performance, decrease activity based-injuries, and even add an increase in overall flexibility. All these should be necessary attributes in any training program. So the question should be, why is stretching important?
Well for one thing, avoiding any type of injury should be a positive. Having an injury that prevents you from training can really hinder your goals. On another note, being flexible will help increase your range of motion. Having this will help you in weight training by allowing the you to recruit as much muscle fibers within the muscle as much as possible. This is accomplished by targeting the muscle through a wider range of motion rather then a partial range.
Another positive is the increased flexibility. Many people lack flexibility due to their lack of attention towards stretching. Many people cannot touch their toes since their range of motion is so limited. As a result, many often experience tightness in the lower back and along the back of the leg. This will eventually lead to more problems later on in life if not treated.
Stretching also helps improve blood circulation in the body. Using stretching before a workout can help warm it up before hand. Dynamic or ballistic stretching before is more ideal at this time rather then after a workout. Ballistic or dynamic stretches involve using quick, bouncing movements that force the muscle to lengthen. For example, leg swing walks or arm swings. Passive stretching would be more suitable after a workout since passive stretching involves holding the stretch for a few seconds. An example would be, bending over to touch your toes and holding it for 5-10 seconds.
Now let me recap on why stretching is essential not only for muscle growth, but overall health. First it prevents any injury from occurring or re-occurring. Using heavy weights will magnify the potential for injury. Doing stretching will help lessen its effects. Second, it helps increase range of motion. Better range of motion equals greater damage to the muscle allowing for a more stronger and bigger muscle to form. Lastly, it helps draw more blood into the muscle. More blood into the muscle will allow greater entry of nutrients that will help assist in the recovery process.
Here is a list of the 10 basic stretches to help increase your flexibility.
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1. Quad Stretch
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| 2. Calf Stretch |
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| 3. Hamstring Stretch |
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| 4. Hip Stretch |
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| 5. Side Bend |
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| 6. Knee To Chest Stretch |
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| 7. Shoulder Stretch |
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| 8. Core Twists |
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| 9. Neck Stretch |
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| 10. Tricep Stretch |
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