Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Stretch Static Before Exercise

Due to the lengthening of the muscle fibers and subsequent application of force during your exercise regimen, static stretching before exercise increases the risk of injury to the muscles. Aerial training amplifies this even more because our muscles and joints are subjected to dynamic loads.

While waiting for class, I frequently observe students static stretching, and they are typically the ones who have injuries. You run the risk of injuring your hips or hamstrings by static stretching your hips to improve your splits before a class. If this describes you, it won’t be long before you are hurt. Stop static stretching before exercise and save it for after.

STATIC STRETCHING: WHAT IS IT?

Stretching a muscle or group of muscles while remaining still is known as static stretching. i.e., you maintain the stretch without moving. This could last for fifteen, thirty, or even more seconds.

STATIC STRETCHING: WHY IS IT REACHED BY INSTRUCTORS?

When you utilize static stretching is more important than whether it’s good or harmful for improving your flexibility.

It can be challenging to decide which professors to listen to because there are so many untrained and unqualified ones. The aerial sector lacks certified qualifications, therefore teachers base their decisions on opinion rather than what is true and accurate.

With that in mind, I decided to write this post with extensive research to demonstrate to you why you shouldn’t conduct static stretching, particularly if you are ready to launch yourself into the air. Unless you want to perform worse, that is.

While all aerialists desire to improve their flexibility as well as their strength training, the more flexible we can get, the more spectacular our moves will look. Focus on flexibility exercises should come after workouts or as standalone exercises. But hey, don’t simply believe what I say.

THE STATISTIC STRETCHING RESEARCH

Before exercising, stretching is recommended, according to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning:

Before participating in competitive sports and physical activities, stretching exercises are typically included in warm-up regimens. It is anticipated that using them will improve subsequent performance, lower the chance of damage, and ease the signs of muscular soreness. Acute static stretching, however, may have a negative impact on muscular performance by reducing the creation of strength and power.

Therefore, some researchers advise against performing static stretching just before activities that call for a lot of strength and power.

Young, somewhat fit males found that when they stretched before lifting weights, they were weaker and less stable than they anticipated to be.

The last thing I want when I’m in the air is to get weaker and shakier. Aerial requires both physical prowess and careful balance.

Why You Shouldn’t Stretch Static Before Working Out!

At CD Fitness, whether it be a walk into a run, cycle, or row, we always take our customers through a wonderful 8–10 minute warm up at the beginning of the session. You may have noticed that we never start our warm-ups with static stretching. This is why:

Stretching before your workout is undoubtedly a routine for you if you’re like most individuals. And performing a little pre-workout stretching seems like it wouldn’t be a big deal, right? Why not include it before working out, when it’s vital to keep a general level of flexibility?

When you stretch your muscles “statically,” as in a conventional hamstring, calf, or shoulder stretch, your body is at rest. This kind of stretching is a fantastic technique to keep your joints supple and fluid. However, there is mounting evidence that static stretching prior to exercise not only has no real health advantages, but may also be detrimental.

Here’s why you shouldn’t perform static stretches prior to exercising:

It may lessen performance – Force production, response time, and running speed may all be negatively impacted by static stretching before a workout.

It can cause injuries – When you stretch excessively before an exercise with cold muscles, you increase the risk that your muscles will sustain damage both during the workout and during the stretching, increasing rather than decreasing the likelihood that you’ll suffer an injury that day.

Timing is important. We’re not saying you shouldn’t stretch at all, since it’s actually very beneficial to you, but you shouldn’t do it just before working out. So why not stretch AFTER a workout instead of before? You’ll gain a lot more advantages from static stretching after a workout than before one!

Try some active stretches before a workout rather than static ones. Your muscles are stretched dynamically while you move. For instance, lunges with a twist, front-to-back leg swings, side-to-side leg swings, arm circles, etc. Dynamic stretches are excellent for pre-workout warm-up since they stretch your muscles while simultaneously increasing blood flow to them and making you breathe more deeply.

Each warm-up should begin with a very low intensity and increase over time until you can feel yourself beginning to get much warmer and even a little perspiration. If you want to warm up on the treadmill, for instance, don’t begin your run with a hard one right away. Instead, begin with a few minutes of vigorous walking at a small slope. This is true for any cardio equipment!