untitled

Don’t stretch before you cool down (see Chapter 8 for more on cooldowns).

Putting your head below your heart right after a workout can cause fainting

and nausea. Wait until your heart rate dips below 100 or you aren’t feeling

breathless before you lie down to stretch.

Following a Few Rules of Stretching ...........................................................

Watch runners at the park or weight lifters at the gym. Chances are, they

have the wrong idea about stretching. Maybe they’ll grab their heel for a split

second to stretch their front thigh, or bend over for a moment to touch their

toes. Liz recently saw a very short woman wind up and throw her leg onto

the hood of a very tall car. The sight made Liz cringe with fear for the

woman’s hamstring. That sort of “stretching” isn’t going to make you more

flexible, and it may even injure you.

Here are the basic rules for a useful and safe flexibility workout:

Stretch as often as you can — daily, if possible. Always stretch after

every workout, both cardiovascular and strength training. When you

stretch on days you don’t work out, be sure to warm up with a few min-

utes of easy movement like shoulder rolls, gentle waist twists, or light

cardio activity.

Move into each stretching position slowly.Never force yourself into

a stretch by jerking or snapping into position.

Notice how much tension you feel.A stretch should rate anywhere from

mild tension to the edge of discomfort on your pain meter. It should never

cause severe or sharp pain anywhere else in your body. Focus on the area

you’re stretching, and notice the stretch spread through these muscles.

Never bounce. No matter which type of stretching you choose (tradi-

tional, PNF, or AI — see the “Finding Alternative Ways to Stretch” section)

after you find the most comfortable stretch position, stay there or grad-

ually deepen the stretch. Bouncing only tightens your muscle — it doesn’t

loosen it. Forceful bouncing increases the risk of tearing a muscle.

As you hold each position, take at least two deep breaths. Deep breath-

ing promotes relaxation.

A Simple Stretching Routine ........................................................................

In the following sections, we show you a thorough, basic stretching routine

to get you started. If you consider stretching too boring, too painful, or too

complicated, you’ll like this section. It features a no-brainer stretching routine

that won’t pull your hamstrings like a rope in a tug of war. Although we like

Chapter 6: The Scoop on Stretching 71