Tuesday, July 4, 2006; HE03
A question we don't get asked very often is: How do I add stretching to my fitness routine?
This lack of curiosity suggests one of several things: (1) People have studied the issue deeply and know everything they need to stretch safely and effectively; (2) they are so clueless they don't know where to start; or (3) they don't give it any thought, since what's the big deal about stretching, anyway?
Let's dismiss No. 1 with a brisk, "Yeah, right." For everyone else, we've created this handy quiz, which clears up many misunderstandings about this crucial part of any fitness regimen. All answers come from the American Council on Exercise Personal Trainer's Manual and the American College of Sports Medicine.
True or False: It's important to begin every workout with a gentle, thorough stretching session.
Ha! Fooled you already. That's false. Don't stretch a cold body. Warm up first with five to 10 minutes of brisk walking, light calisthenics, even marching in place -- anything that increases your heart rate, raises your core body temperature and lubes your joints. People who stretch when cold often become what is known in the fitness world as "regular patients of an orthopedist."
Perform a stretch until you feel a slight pain, then back off a bit and hold the stretch.
Fooled you again! That's false. You shouldn't perform any stretch to the point of pain. Do a stretch until your muscle feels tight , but before you feel pain.
When you find the ideal stretch point, lean into it very lightly, "bouncing" three times to extend your range of motion.
False. But don't get cocky, we made that one easy. Never bounce while stretching, no matter what your no-neck high school basketball coach told you. Bouncing through a stretch invites injury.
A good, careful stretching session before an activity reduces your chance of injury.
False. Boy, you're not very good at this. Exercise physiologists have tried many times to prove that stretching before an activity reduces injury. They have failed. There is some evidence -- some -- that regular stretching helps you recover from an injury.
Stretching lengthens muscles, not ligaments or tendons.
False, Einstein. The lengthening of connective tissue via regular stretching increases joints' range of motion.
For maximum benefit, you should hold a stretch for 30 to 60 seconds.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. Ten to 30 seconds will do you. Don't forget to breathe, okay? Three days a week is good, seven's better.
Stretching is so thoroughly understood and without controversy that none of the declarations of truth and falsehood above will be disputed in e-mails sent to move@washpost.com by exercise physiologists, sports doctors, personal trainers, PE teachers and articulate graduate students.
Demonstrably false.
If done regularly and carefully, stretching can increase your joints' range of motion, contribute to improved athletic performance, nourish muscle tissue, improve coordination and posture, and permit you to do, without grimacing, things like turning your head when you drop a quarter and getting out of your car to pump gas. And if you want a simple book illustrating dozens of good, safe stretches, get Bob Anderson's "Stretching, 20th Anniversary Edition" (Shelter Publications).
True. Good. You finally got one.
No chat this week. Join us again on Tuesday, July 18, at http://www.washingtonpost.com .
-- Craig Stoltz