Q. I always thought it was more important to warm up and stretch before my exercise. Now I hear that stretching afterwards and a cool down are more important. Which is it?
A. It is definitely important to warm up the body before exercise, and I still prefer stretching also, although the trend now is to avoid static stretching before working out.
The cool down and stretching following vigorous exercise, when the body is warm and the heart rate is high, is even more important.
We need to give our hearts time to slow down and we will benefit more from static and deep stretching when the muscles are warm and supple.
Q. How long should I do stretching exercises to stay limber?
A. From my experience and reading, I have found that there is no way to stretch for too long.
However, stretching is most effective when the body is warm from exercising, and the recommended length of time for holding each stretching position is at least 11 to 30 seconds.
And stretch every muscle group to increase your flexibility, because we automatically lose 10% of our flexibility (full range of motion in every joint) every ten years.
As always, check with your own healthcare professional before undertaking any diet or exercise program.
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