Is Stretching Before a Workout Actually Beneficial?
I'm sure we have all heard "You need to stretch first.", "You're going to pull something if you don't.", "The workout isn't going to go as smoothly." just to name a few. Throughout the years there has been scientific research to contradict this well known health myth. When it comes to stretching the body, there are several different types. Let's dive into what they all are!
Static stretching
First, we have static stretching which usually focuses on a single muscle group of the body. While performing a static stretch, you are stretching a particular muscle to its furthest point and holding it for about 15 - 20 seconds. An example of this is the butterfly pose. This is the usual method chosen by most people
Dynamic stretching
Then we have dynamic stretching which is more of a movement-based type of stretch, where the person moves through the stretch instead of holding it in one position. An example of this is walking knee to chest. Most individuals make the mistake of performing static stretches before a workout to benefit when in reality it really is not as effective as they think.
Well, what's wrong if i want to do static stretching?
Since static stretching takes the muscle to its furthest point, it weakens the muscle before the workout. This can tire out the body before even starting your program and it actually does not really have many benefits.
A research study was done to compare the acute effects of the different stretching protocols when focusing on agility, balance, movement time from the upper limbs, and reaction time. After 3 minutes of jogging, the subjects had to perform 7 minutes of one of the stretches. The results stated, "The DS protocol compared to SS performed significantly better in balance, agility and movement time. Additionally, the DS protocol compared to NS performed significantly better in agility. According to the results of the study, a DS protocol is more appropriate than SS for activities that require balance, rapid change of running direction (agility) and movement time from the upper extremities." (Chatzopoulos et. al, 2014, p. 1).
So, should you even stretch at all then?
Looking at the results of the study, we can see that conducting dynamic movements/stretches were more beneficial than static stretching and not stretching at all.
All in all, next time you're about to go for a workout make sure to try dynamic movements/stretches instead of static stretches first. Check out some helpful links below!
References
Citations
Chatzopoulos, D., Galazoulas, C., Patikas, D., & Kotzamanidis, C. (2014). Acute effects of static and dynamic stretching on balance, agility, reaction time and movement time. Journal of sports science & medicine, 13(2), 403–409.
