Before engaging in sport or exercise, it is vitally important to raise the temperature of the muscles to prepare them for activity. This can also be true for individuals immediately upon rising from a night’s rest. This warming of muscles in preparation for movement is most easily achieved through stretching. However, is it best to do this via static or dynamic stretching? Static stretching is stretching the muscles while standing still. It focuses on holding a muscle for a sustained amount of time and then relaxing it. Because static stretching focuses on elongating muscles, flexibility and range of motion are significantly impacted. Dynamic stretching, on the other hand, involves stretching as the body is moving, taking it through challenging and repetitive motions. This increasingly moves muscles and joints as the stretching activity progresses. Dynamic stretching allows for a full body warm up, even warming the body’s muscles faster than a low-level cardio activity. Generally, dynamic stretching is ideal prior to sport or exercise while dynamic is recommended after sport or exercise. As a start to your day, consider engaging in a bit of both. Whether you stretch statically, dynamically or a little bit of both, start slowly, but…get to stretching!
Static Stretching
Dynamic Stretching
