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What I learned about stretching

Posted By: Vicki Raynor on 04/06/2011

I’m supposed to stretch?

I’m kinda embarrassed to admit this, but I honestly didn’t know it was important to stretch after a workout - I honestly didn’t!  I’ve seen guys and gals around town leaning against a building while stretching their legs, and I’ve seen my fellow Fitness Together workout buddies stretch before their workout session.  But I thought maybe they were just killing time or doing it because it looked cool.  Really, that’s what I thought.

I learn something new every workout

Boy was I wrong!  Here’s how I learned the importance of stretching after a workout.  
I emphasis after, because I thought it was best to stretch before a workout.  I was working out Tuesday evening with Stacy and I noticed my left knee hurt.  I thought it was just my arthritis creepin’ up on me but I thought I should mention it to Stacy.  She asked me if I worked out last night?  "Yes, I said enthusiastically, 
I did an hour of hard cardio on the treadmill."  (I was sooo proud to say that!)  


"Did you stretch afterwards," she asked?  Stretch? I said with a puzzled look on my face. No. I didn’t know I was supposed to stretch after working out.  I never stretch.  OMG!  Just looking at the expression on her face told me that I most certainly was supposed to stretch after working out!

A Lesson on Stretching

A the end of my training session, Stacy showed me specific stretches I could do at home - every day. The look on her face told me I had better do these every day. 


When I came in the next morning for my workout with Michael, he said, “So you haven’t been stretching?”  What?  How did he know that?  I realized  Stacy was definitely looking out for me because she had written a note on my chart asking Michael to work on additional stretching exercises with me.

Michael showed me four different stretches that worked four different areas of my legs.  Ouch, they hurt, but it was a good hurt.  I’ve been stretching ever since, and I haven’t had any more pain in my legs when working out - except for the ‘good pain’ that comes from a great workout.
Hey…that’s a great blog topic:  ‘good pain’ -- check back soon.

Stretches

1. Quad stretch - three muscles comprise the front of the thigh - rectus femoris, vastus medialis and lateral medialis - quadriceps as a whole extend the knee

2. Hamstring stretch - three muscles comprise the hamstrings - biceps femoris, semitendinous and semimembranous - together threse muslces primary function of the hamstring is to decelerate the lower leg in the *saggital plane.

3. Piriformis stretch - works the lower back and gluts

4. Calf stretch - two muscles comprise the claves - gastrocnemius and soleus - together thrse muscles raise the heel.

* Sagittal plane is a vertical plane which passes from front to rear dividing the body into right and left sections.