By Anissa Deol
Stretching is not an option. After every workout, whether it be your hardest one yet or the easiest one in general, stretching is a MUST after any of them. Most people think that after a hard workout, they have places to be or classes to go to and forget about how not stretching may impact their day and their body in the long run. You can’t just tell yourself you will stretch longer tomorrow or do it later because, you’re probably not going to stretch later, and it hinders your flexibility even more. Not stretching can actually hurt your training more than you actually think.
After running or biking, tight hamstrings, glutes and quads are going to occur if stretching does not happen at least twice a day. Running has a lot of impact on the legs and they need to be able to breathe after you done with your vigorous workout. Not stretching can lead to tightness, which no one likes, but also things like tendonitis, injury, posture issues and even the necessity to stop running for a few weeks because everything feels like they are glued together. In order to stop that feeling make sure you are stretching at least 10 to 15 minutes after your workout. Additionally, it wouldn’t help to stretch before bed either.
For the upper body, if I don’t stretch mine, tension here can affect a multitude of things. It can lead to tension being held in your upper body whenever you are working out, it can ruin everything about what you are working on. When running, you should not hold any tension in your upper body because that can lead to bad posture and more pressure on your lower body. Additionally, it can lead your traps becoming so inflamed that it hurts to even do shoulder exercises (yea that was what happened to me). After I realized it was all a stretching and exercises, I made a schedule for when those exercises and stretched would happen. After every workout, I would stretch and do the exercises and slowly noticed the differences after a few months. I was more mobile and flexible in the way my shoulders move and was more conscious about how I had to hold my upper body. Your flexibility isn’t going to happen all on its own, especially if you aren’t stretching so you have to make time to stretch.
If you don’t think you have enough time to stretch here are a few things you can do to help, make time:
· Shorten your workout, higher intensity– most people know this as HIIT or Tabata, the movements in your workout or workout in general is intense on the body and you get short amounts of rest time, but you dedicate more time after to recovery for your body. If you know you are going to have class or a meeting earlier than expected, I would definitely say do at least a 20 or 30 min HIIT workout and then dedicate at least 15 mins to stretching and slowly bringing the body down to a “resting” position
· Dedicate at least one day to yoga or stretching– make this day your flexibility day, most people don’t think stretching or yoga are even considered workouts, but yoga will make you sweat and also work on your posture and flexibility
· Stretch wherever and whenever you can– I use anything I can find to stretch when I’m sore, or when I’m just waiting. Going up the escalator, I will stretch my calves, or even when waiting for the bus I will stretch my hamstrings or hips. Who cares if people think you are weird, your body matters more and maybe you even need this stretch?
Most people only think that the workout is the most important part of their, well, workout. However, flexibility is the main factor that is going to help you push more boundaries when working out. Stretching is of utmost necessity and your body will be more grateful towards you if you do it.