Stretching: why it's important and how often you should do it

Why (dynamic) stretching's important

People often overlook stretching. But the science shows it's a valuable way to reduce injury risks & improve mobility. Try introducing a stretching routine into your workouts - just 10-15 minutes at the end of each workout should be enough to benefit you.

Stretching helps you maintain flexibility, improve the range of motion you can achieve from the targeted muscles, reduce injury risks, and reduce muscle tension. Overall, stretching really benefits mobility and reduces our risk of injury by keeping muscles flexible.

What happens when you stretch?

When you stretch, the muscles you are targeting elongate. This makes them more flexible. It also helps your joints move through a larger range of motion, helping your mobility.  

When you stretch (especially dynamically), blood flow increases to the targeted muscles. This increased blood flow also allows more oxygen to reach the muscles. If more oxygen is reaching your muscles, your muscles will be better equipped for exercising more rigorously. 

Muscles need oxygen for ATP. ATP is produced during aerobic respiration, which is a process requiring oxygen. So, the more oxygen you can bring your muscles in advance of beginning activities such as running or weightlifting, the better fuelled your muscles will be to perform.

Furthermore, these changes to circulation can also help relieve stress by reducing muscle tension and providing some relief from muscle knots, providing neurological benefits too. Stretching activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the system that relaxes your body after a period of stress or danger.

How often should you stretch?

It's recommended to stretch all your major muscle groups at least once a week. If you exercise 2-3 times a week, it is worth integrating a few minutes of dynamic stretching as part of a warmup, and ten minutes of static and dynamic stretching at the end of each workout, when your muscles are warm.

It may be detrimental to perform static stretches when your muscles are cold, actually increasing the risk of injury and reducing performance. So you should only perform static stretches at the end of your workouts when your muscles are already warm. Dynamic stretching on the other hand can be performed as a warmup at the beginning of your workouts, but you may also want to incorporate them at the end of your workouts too. 

Incorporating stretching as part of the normal workouts you do each week will ensure you are keeping your muscles and joints flexible and mobile, getting the recommended twenty to forty minutes of stretching into your lifestyle easily.