The Importance Of Stretching Before A Work Out
Stretching before a workout allows the body to become more pliable and less prone to injury. The muscles that should be stretched will be the main muscles groups that are going to be worked on during the session. So for example, if you are doing a lower body workout, the hamstrings, the quadriceps, the glutes and the calf are the muscles that would need to be stretched. These stretches should be performed whilst standing and gently held between 8-10 seconds. This is so that your heart rate does not drop too much during this time. Post stretches or maintenance stretches are just as or if not more important than stretching prior to your workout, after your warm up. The main muscles groups used during the session are the ones that need to stretch.