Who Needs to Stretch?
The work day ends and you hurry off to training. Late to class,you jump on the mat and start working out without warming up….probably not the greatest idea. BUT you might be okay if you remember to stretch after your Krav Maga class. Why is stretching so beneficial?
The Mayo Clinic says the main benefits of stretching are thought to be:
- Improving athletic performance
- Decreasing the risk of activity-based injuries
“Stretching can help improve flexibility. And better flexibility may improve your performance in physical activities or decrease your risk of injuries by helping your joints move through their full range of motion. For instance, say your Achilles tendon is tight and lacks flexibility. If you do a lot of hill walking, your foot may not move through its full range of motion. Over time, this can increase your risk of tendinitis or tendinopathy in your Achilles tendon. Stretching your Achilles tendon, though, may improve the range of motion in your ankle. This, in turn, can decrease the risk of microtrauma to your tendon that can lead to overload and injury.”
Basically, any motion you perform with a tight muscle, those motions are limited, for example working on a kick in Kickboxing. If you have tight hip flexors, kicking repeatedly without proper stretching greatly increases the chance of injury. Stretching also increases blood flow to the muscle.
It’s crucial to make sure before getting into any high intense workout to ensure there is a stretch/warmup up period before and or after. At Monster X Camp each class starts and ends with a guided stretch. We also offer a power flow yoga class to further work on lengthening muscle fibers, improve balance, coordination and flexibility. It is crucial to stretch and stay flexible to get the most out of your training: Call or email us at 469-426-2727 or info@monsterxcamp.com to speak with a certified personal trainer on more tips how to start training to reach your fitness goals TODAY.
