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Aimee's Soapbox!
October 2004: Darn right, you'd better stretch. . .

Yuck. I know that's what you're thinking. Almost everyone I know hates stretching or can never find the time to do it. But it is JUST AS IMPORTANT as cardiovascular training or weight training. Sometimes more.

When I was a personal trainer, I worked with a client who absolutely hated stretching and delighted in not doing it. One day we did a particularly strenuous track workout with lots of sprinting and jumping and explosive movements. Despite my protestations, he simply jumped in his car at the end of the workout and went home. A few days later, he came to my office to show me the five-inch-long bruise on his hamstring--a lovely purple reminder of why it's important to stretch.

So, YES, IT'S IMPORTANT. If the above hematoma story hasn't convinced you to start stretching, then here are a few more reasons:

a. Increases and maintains joint range of motion.

b. Relieves post-workout soreness.

c. Reduces muscle tension.

d. Improves coordination and develops body awareness.

e. Promotes circulation.

f. Helps avoid stiffness and bad posture as you age.

Convinced yet? Good. Then let's talk about how to stretch, now that you know why. First, you need to relax your body while stretching. Some people attack stretching like it's another workout. Instead, breathe naturally and don't fight the resistance you may feel. Be aware of your body alignment--your head, your back, your legs--as you are stretching. And realize that you may feel differently from day to day as you stretch. Consistency is the key to stretching; a regular stretching program will be most beneficial.

Here are the four stretching guidelines you should follow:

1. RELAX. Don't fight your body or push beyond the point of discomfort.

2. BREATHE. Inhale at the start position and exhale as you go into the stretch.

3. HOLD. Do not bounce. Hold the stretch at the point of discomfort for two seconds.

4. RELEASE AND REPEAT. Come out of the stretch and return to the starting position.

You will probably not be as flexible as an Olympic gymnast at first, but you can make great improvements in a short time. Of course, some people are not as flexible as others (and they can't stretch as well either!! ha ha ha). Several factors can influence your flexibility or lack thereof. You may have a muscle imbalance, where one muscle is weaker than it needs to be. Inactivity, either from an injury or from choice, will also affect your range of motion. Or a period of rapid growth, as in children, can limit your flexibility too.

You can see, though, that most of these limiting factors are either self-imposed or temporary. You can improve your range of motion and overcome inflexibility by including a stretching routine into your workout.

No doubt, you have heard many different theories on stretching. Some people will tell you to warm up first with light aerobic activity before you stretch. Some will tell you to hold your stretches for 30 to 60 seconds. Some will tell you to stretch after your workout. However, many of these theories are not based on anatomy and physiology, but rather on tradition. I am telling you now that it is time to give up the routine that your beloved junior high P.E teacher showed you and embrace a new era.

Aaron Mattes, a kinesiotherapist and massage therapist, is the leading authority on stretching in my opinion. He has been studying this field for over thirty years and has worked with many athletes, including Pete Sampras and Bo Jackson. I used this technique in my practice to help my clients improve performance and recover from injury with amazing success. His flexibility exercises are based on the body's physiological principles. (I call them exercises rather than stretches because they are very different from what you know as traditional stretches.)

Below are the guidelines for Aaron Mattes' Active Isolated Stretching. I strongly recommend that you refer to his book before you begin this program. The success of these exercises highly depend on correct technique.

a. Voluntarily contract the opposing muscle (i.e., flex your quad to stretch the hamstring).

b. Gently assist the stretch with either a towel or a rope or your hands.

c. Breathe out on the effort.

d. Hold the stretch for two seconds, and then return to the start position.

e. Do 6-10 repetitions of each stretch.

For more information on this theory, you can go to www.stretchingusa.com or order Aaron Mattes' book from www.amazon.com.

Coming up... Thanks to Bill Miller for suggesting this month's topic! For November....?????

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