Remember the days when we were all taught to stretch before every workout? Fast forward to today, and fitness experts have a whole new perspective on the role of stretching before exercise. What changed? And how should you approach stretching now to maximize performance and avoid injury?
Stretching has long been a core component of pre-exercise routines. For decades, athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and even school kids were encouraged to stretch their muscles before engaging in physical activity. The thinking was simple: stretching would help prevent injuries and prepare the muscles for movement.
But as sports science has evolved, so has our understanding of the best ways to warm up for exercise. Today, experts take a more nuanced approach, focusing on dynamic movements over traditional static stretching before exercise. In this blog, we’ll explore how beliefs about stretching have changed over time and what modern research tells us about the best practices for warming up.
Past Beliefs: Stretching to Prevent Injury
For years, the go-to recommendation was to stretch before any type of exercise. The common reasoning behind this advice included:
1. Injury Prevention: Stretching was believed to loosen up muscles and joints, reducing the likelihood of strains, pulls, and other injuries during exercise.
2. Improved Flexibility: Pre-exercise stretching was thought to enhance flexibility, making the muscles more pliable and capable of a greater range of motion during physical activity.
3. Muscle Preparation: By stretching, it was believed that muscles would be “prepped” and ready for the stresses of exercise, leading to better overall performance.
The typical routine involved static stretching, where muscles were held in a stretched position for 20-30 seconds. Think of touching your toes to stretch your hamstrings or holding your arm across your body to stretch the shoulder.
However, here’s what the research says about this traditional approach:
The Problem with Pre-Exercise Static Stretching
By the 1990s and early 2000s, studies began to question whether static stretching before exercise was actually beneficial. Here’s what modern research found:
• Reduced Strength and Power: Several studies showed that static stretching before exercise could temporarily reduce muscle strength and power output if done for too long. This means that holding a long stretch before activities like weightlifting, sprinting, or jumping might decrease performance.
• Limited Impact on Injury Prevention: While static stretching can increase flexibility, research suggests that it may not significantly reduce the risk of injury, especially in sports or activities that require strength and power. In fact, most injuries occur due to doing too much too soon, or demanding something of the body that it is not currently capable of or adapted to, which stretching alone cannot address.
• Cold Muscles Are Less Receptive: Static stretching is most effective when muscles are warm. Stretching “cold” muscles—before they are properly warmed up—can increase the risk of overstretching or pulling a muscle.
Present Beliefs: Dynamic Warm-Ups Over Static Stretching
Modern sports science has shifted away from static stretching as the ideal pre-exercise routine. Instead, dynamic warm-ups have taken center stage. Here’s why:
1. Dynamic Movements Improve Performance
Unlike static stretching, dynamic warm-ups involve moving muscles and joints through their full range of motion without holding a stretch. These movements gradually increase heart rate, blood flow, and muscle temperature, effectively “priming” the body for exercise. Movements like leg swings, arm circles, or lunges are common in dynamic warm-ups. Studies have shown that dynamic stretching helps enhance performance, especially in activities that require strength, speed, or agility.
2. May Reduce Risk of Injury
Dynamic movements prepare the muscles, tendons, and ligaments for the demands of exercise more effectively than static stretching. By actively moving through different ranges of motion, dynamic warm-ups mimic the movements you’ll perform during your workout, which can help improve coordination, balance, and joint stability—some factors in reducing injury risk.
3. Flexibility Post-Exercise
Static stretching is still valuable, but now it’s primarily recommended after exercise, when muscles are warm. Stretching after your workout can improve flexibility over time and help with muscle recovery.
How to Stretch Before Exercising Today
Based on current research and recommendations, here’s the best way to approach stretching and warm-ups before your workout:
1. Start with a Dynamic Warm-Up
Begin with movements that gradually increase in intensity. Focus on exercises that engage the muscles you’ll use during your workout. For example, if you’re preparing for a run, include walking lunges, leg swings, and high knees to warm up your legs. If you’re getting ready to lift weights, incorporate bodyweight squats, arm circles, or push-ups to warm up the relevant muscle groups.
2. Save Static Stretching for After Your Workout
After you’ve completed your workout, use static stretching to improve flexibility if that is your goal. Hold stretches for 20-30 seconds, focusing on areas that feel tight or sore. Just like strengthening exercises you can progress the time or way you don these as your body becomes more accustomed to it. This is when your muscles are warm and more receptive to lengthening.
Here’s an example of a full-body dynamic warm-up routine that targets major muscle groups and prepares your body for various types of exercise:
Full-Body Dynamic Warm-Up (10 Minutes)
1. Arm Circles (15-20 seconds each direction)
• Stand tall with your arms extended out to your sides. Make small circles with your arms, gradually increasing the size of the circles. Repeat in the opposite direction.
2. Leg Swings (10 swings per leg)
• Stand next to a wall or something stable. Swing one leg forward and backward, keeping the movement controlled. Switch legs after 10 swings. This warms up your hips and hamstrings.
3. Hip Circles (15-20 seconds)
• Place your hands on your hips and make large circles with your hips, moving slowly and controlled. Switch directions after 15 seconds. This loosens up your hips and lower back.
4. Walking Lunges with a Twist (10 steps per leg)
• Step forward into a lunge, then twist your torso over the front leg. Return to standing and repeat on the opposite side. This engages your legs, glutes, and core.
5. Inchworms (8-10 reps)
• Stand with feet hip-width apart, bend at your hips and walk your hands out into a plank position. Perform a push-up, then walk your feet toward your hands to return to standing. This stretches your hamstrings and warms up your core and upper body.
6. High Knees (15-20 seconds)
• Jog in place, bringing your knees up toward your chest as high as you can. Use your arms to help drive the movement. This raises your heart rate and engages your legs and core.
7. Butt Kicks (15-20 seconds)
• Jog in place, kicking your heels up toward your glutes. This movement activates your hamstrings and increases blood flow to your lower body.
8. Bodyweight Squats (15 reps)
• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and lower into a squat position, keeping your chest up and knees behind your toes. Stand back up and repeat. This warms up your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
9. Arm Swings Across Chest (15-20 seconds)
• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and swing your arms across your chest, alternating which arm is on top. This warms up your shoulders and upper back.
10. Jumping Jacks (20 seconds)
Take what you like from the above example and make it yours over time!
The Future of Stretching: What Science Is Still Exploring
While we’ve made significant progress in understanding the role of stretching, the research continues. Scientists are still investigating how stretching impacts long-term injury prevention, muscle adaptation, and overall performance in different sports and populations. As research evolves, so will our understanding of the best practices for warming up, stretching, and recovery.
Closing Thoughts
The way we approach stretching has evolved dramatically over the years. While static stretching was once the gold standard, modern research has shown that dynamic movements are far more effective in preparing the body for exercise. By incorporating dynamic warm-ups into your routine and saving static stretches for after your workout, you can improve performance, reduce the risk of injury, and increase flexibility over time.
Still unsure about how to structure your warm-up routine? Our coaches can help you design a dynamic warm-up that fits your goals and ensures you’re getting the most out of every workout. Contact us today to learn more!
References:
1. Behm, David G., and Anis Chaouachi. “A Review of the Acute Effects of Static and Dynamic Stretching on Performance.” European Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 111, no. 11, 2011, pp. 2633-2651.
2. Simic, L., et al. “Does Pre-Exercise Static Stretching Inhibit Maximal Muscular Performance? A Meta-Analytical Review.” Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, vol. 23, no. 2, 2013, pp. 131-148.
3. Herbert, Rob D., and Michael Gabriel. “Effects of Stretching Before and After Exercising on Muscle Soreness and Risk of Injury: Systematic Review.” BMJ, vol. 325, no. 7362, 2002, pp. 468. 4. McHugh, Malachy P., and Christopher H. Cosgrave. “To Stretch or Not to Stretch: The Role of Stretching in Injury Prevention and Performance.” Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, vol. 20, no. 2, 2010, pp. 169-181.