The importance of stretching

We talked about Pilates, which is a discipline that focuses on stretching. Apart from stretching in a specific class such as Pilates or yoga, we should always include stretching as part of our workout. In fact, it was when I did ballet training, many years ago, that I was first introduced to stretching and came to understand how important it was.

Although I have seen people stretching in the middle of their workouts, I was taught to leave it until the end.

Does it take a long time?

It shouldn't take you much more than 10 minutes for a post-workout stretch, maybe less if your muscle workout hasn't been very extensive. People in a hurry -- including me -- tend to miss out non-weight training bits out of our routine as we think “it doesn't matter” or “it isn't important.” The most common excuse we give ourselves is that we'll “do it next time,” but unless we do it every time, it won't serve its purpose.

When should we do it and why?

Stretching the muscles that we've been working out should be done at the end of our workout program. It helps to relax the muscles and to keep them soft and flexible. There is less chance of injury or tendonitis if the muscle is long and supple. The reason for this after an intensive workout is that muscles need to repair themselves and disentangle the muscle fibers. Stretching the muscle helps realign the muscle fibers, which keeps the blood flowing and the tendons flexible. It also prevents cramps in some muscles, like the calf, that are cramp-prone.

A stretching routine

The chest: Stand next to a door or the vertical bars of any exercise machine. Grab the surface whilst keeping your hand at shoulder level with your arm slightly bent. Bend your torso away from the surface until you feel a slight stretching feeling in your chest muscles.

Triceps 1: Raise your arm straight up. Bend your elbow backwards in a movement reaching down your back and hold it firm with your other arm. Pull the bent arm slightly back and put your free hand on your triceps to feel the muscle engaging.

Triceps 2: Pull both your arms behind your back and keeping them straight, clasp your hands so that the palms are facing outwards. Stretch as hard as you can.

Biceps: Kneel on the floor and put your hands down in front of you so that you are on all fours. Keeping the arms very straight, turn the palms of the hands inwards so that your fingers are facing backwards, toward your feet. Lean forward, and keeping your palms and fingers flat on the floor. Stretch your arms so as to feel your biceps.

Lower back: Lie down flat facing the floor. Bend you elbows so your arms are at right angles to your head, keep your fingers together and hold them so they are lightly touching the sides of your head. When in this position lift your head up to eye level and then back down on the floor in a gentle rocking movement. You should feel the lower back muscles engaging.

Quads: While standing, bend one of your knees and hold the foot behind the leg, so that the ankle is near the buttocks and with the hand that is holding, keep the leg stretched. Hold something firm, like the edge of a door or a vertical bar whilst you are doing this so you don't fall down. Repeat with the other leg.

Calves: Bend one leg in front of you and go down as far as you can on the floor with the free leg outstretched behind and the foot of the free leg placed flat on the floor. Repeat with the other leg.

Hamstring: Stand up and then bend down, keeping your legs straight and touch you toes -- or try to! You will feel your hamstrings stretch as you do this.

Abdominals: Lie flat on the floor face downwards. Put your arms out at either side like an airplane and lift them off the ground as well as lifting you head off the ground at the same time. Hold that position for at least 30 seconds and then repeat three times.

Lower back and legs combination: Lie on the floor with both your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Take one foot off the floor and bring your knee forward toward your chest, pulling it gently with both hands. Release the leg, bring it back to its starting position on the floor and repeat with the other leg.

Gluteus maximus: Lie on the floor with both your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Lift your torso up so that your body is perpendicular to the floor. Now raise one leg and, keeping it straight, raise it so that it touches the other leg and the knee of the bent leg is level with the knee of the straight, extended leg. Stay like this for about 30 seconds and keep your glutes clenched as you do so.

Side and obliques stretching

Lie on the floor with your legs together and knees bent to the side so that they are as near to the floor as possible. Keep your trunk flat on the floor and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Inside leg stretch

Sit on the floor with your legs apart, your knees bent out and the soles of your feet together -- “squatting” style. Now try to get your knees as near to the floor as possible.

Seated leg stretch: Sit down with your legs stretched out wide apart and your heels flexed so that the toes point toward your body. Take one arm and arch your body over toward your left side with the right arm outstretched and then grasp your left foot with it. Change to the other side and do the same in reverse.

Before you hit the shower… hop on the exercise bike and do 10 minutes of medium speed pedaling followed by five minutes of slow pedaling to cool the body off. Or do the same speeds on a treadmill with it set to a very low incline.