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Show r or the fun o f it! Stretch to get in good physical shape By DALE NELSON Utah State University To stretch or not to stretch? Hold on there, pardner, don't you know that most fitness buffs think this is heresy to even raise the question. Why, stretching stret-ching and flexibility exercises have become a way of life for the fitness conscious. They prevent injuries, warm you up, cool you down, make you move b better and a whole host of good things happen when you stretch. Well. I'm not so sure as I once was. A personal experience may get your attention. Last winter I developed a hamstring problem during my rehabilitation from a major wrist operation. Nothing seemed to help it. The more 1 warmed up by "carefully" stretching the hamstrings, the worse it got even to a point of not being able to run at all. Finally, alter a couple of months of anxiety and depression, 1 decided to quit stretching. Lo and behold, it gradually improved to a point where now it is functional lor a great deal of run ning. If it is any consolation, con-solation, there are others who share the position I urn taking. Most exercisers don't have time to stretch the way we have been taught and, besides, it's not necessary. Yes, you do need lo warm up and cool down, but you don't need alot of static stretching. You need to warm up a little before you run and you need to warm up very well before you race. A light jog is the best warmup. Gradually increase yor pace, then couple it with some dynamic i active) joint stretching when you break into a light sweat. Most runners can function func-tion nicely by starting slowly and warming up as they got into their run no stretching needed. A good guide is to warm up by imitating whatever you are going to do. slowly, and gradually increasing the intensity. Dr. Richard H. Dominguez. M.D., another anti-static stretcher, says athletes should try io develop dynamic range of motion the ability to actively control joints through the lull range of motion. He uses a combination of gentle flexing, extending, sideways bending and rotation. By strengthening the muscles around the joints, you naturally increase range of motion. This implies some strength w work, also important in your fitness program. Flexibility can be developed concurrently con-currently with some weight training. It has been my experience ex-perience that most people do not execute stretching exercises properly. Static stretching is not all bad. When it is used, you should never involve pain and discomfort. Stretch only to a point of tightness tight-ness and hold. If it is uncomfortable, you cannot relax. The key is relaxation. |