The Benefits of Stretching Before Exercising
Increased blood flow: Stretching gets the blood flowing. The more blood that flows to and through your muscles, the better prepared they are for physical activity.
More flexible: Stretching helps to make your muscles and tendons looser. It’s a good way to warm up, making you more flexible and ready to move.
Reduced chance of injury: The stronger your body is before a workout, the less likely you will suffer injuries, sprains, wear and tear.
The Benefits of Stretching After Exercising
Quicker recovery: Stretching post-workout helps to destress your muscles, bringing them back to their normal levels and kickstarting the healing process
Better circulation: Blood flows better from stretching pre-workout, and also flows better when you stretch your muscles afterward.
Getting rid of lactic acid: After working out, lactic acid builds, making muscles sore and weak in the process. Stretching eliminates that acid.
Natural relaxation: Stretching helps you wind down naturally, lowering your heart rate steadily and bringing you to a place of calm.
Can You Stretch Too Much?
While there are many benefits to stretching both before and after a workout, we recommend diving deeper into the subject, so that you have a clear idea of how much you should stretch.
Too much stretching can be detrimental to your physical well-being and can actually cause injuries if not performed properly. We recommend watching some “how to stretch” videos on YouTube to ensure you’re stretching safely and productively.