8 stretching mistakes that can ruin your workout

A good workout should be accompanied by stretching so that you can perform at your best in each of them. However, many athletes make the mistake of not stretching correctly .

In this sense, when a stretch is executed in the correct way, it can relax tense muscles and support you in recovery after training. On the contrary, improper stretching can negatively affect you during exercise.

Find out if you are stretching in the appropriate way or how to improve this practice, avoiding more common mistakes when stretching .

Cuando y cómo estirar

8 stretching mistakes that can hurt you

1. Hold your breath

The goal of stretching is to get the muscle to relax. And one of the best ways to do that is by taking a deep breath. However, uncomfortable tension can sometimes be felt in some part of the stretch , which could shorten breathing.

It is recommended that instead of keeping track of how many seconds you are stretching, you pay attention to how and how much you are breathing.

For example, you can breathe for 2 full cycles before leaving the stretch, with a stretch duration of around 30 seconds.

On the other hand, the “Postural Restoration Institute” has a breathing technique that relaxes and will also support you, it consists of the following:

  • Exhale, making an “ah” sound until all the air is out of the lungs.
  • Close your mouth and breathe through your nose for 4 seconds.
  • Hold your breath for 4 seconds.
  • Exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds, making the “ah” sound again.

Errores a evitar al hacer estiramientos

2. Extend your breath for a long time

It doesn’t matter when you do the stretch, the important thing is to limit the amount of time you hold a stretch.

According to a 2012 study from Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, it was established that each stretch should be limited to a maximum of 60 seconds , because a muscle stretched beyond that time in a particular position decreases the power said muscle.

On the other hand, if you are stretching to increase your range of motion , then you should stretch each muscle for about 30 seconds . In addition, limiting a stretch to 30 seconds will give you more time to attend to other aspects of your training.

¿Durante cuánto tiempo se debe estirar?

3. Make a lot of force

Stretching should be a bit uncomfortable, but never painful. The objective of stretching is to try to get the joint to move beyond a point where you feel comfortable, a forced stretch , on the other hand, can cause minor trauma to the muscle, triggering pain, which can affect you in future workouts . .

Therefore, you should take your stretch to a point that costs you, but where you do not feel a lot of discomfort.

¿Se debe hacer fuerza al estirar?

4. Stretch when you have hypermobility

There are people who are naturally very flexible, and therefore have a great range of motion in the joints. This usually causes some not to stretch during their workouts. However, there are those who also have a condition known as joint hypermobility .

This pathology is more common in women than in men, and it manifests itself when there is a disorder in the connective tissue of tendons and ligaments, causing them not to fulfill their support function, which results in an impairment in the mobility of the joints.

Therefore, if you have been diagnosed with hypermobility, you will have less control over your joints, and you will be more prone to injury. In this case, it is advisable to avoid increasing flexibility through stretching , in order not to impair your training, and to maintain joint control.

Evitar estirar cuando tienes hipermovilidad

5. Choosing the wrong stretch

There are two basic types of stretching ; the static and dynamic. Make sure you apply the correct type at the ideal time in your training.

For example, static stretching is good for someone who does ballet, as it requires a lot of flexibility. But for most people this type of stretching is best after training, and it is a way to restore and relax.

For its part, dynamic stretching is best before executing disciplines that involve continuous movement such as swimming, running, and lifting weights. In addition, it is a type of stretching that will help you warm up your body before starting to train. The only downside is that you can’t target a specific muscle or joint to stretch, as you can with static stretching.

Cómo elegir el tipo de estiramiento correcto

6. Stretch before doing plyometrics

Plyometrics is a form of explosive training that usually requires a great deal of power during the execution of the movement.

For example, when you begin to move upward in a jump, you are taking all the tension built from coming down from a squat, releasing more power to jump higher.

Static stretches make your muscles less tense , so it is suggested to avoid them before a plyometrics session and instead opt for a dynamic warm-up.

Cómo estirar antes de un entrenamiento pliométrico

7. Stretch before training to avoid injury

According to a 2000 study by the British Journal of Sports Medicine , it was determined that when you take a tight muscle and stretch it out, you are actually weakening it. In fact, it was established that stretching before exercise can make you more prone to injury .

Therefore, if your goal is to avoid injury during training, you should avoid stretching before you begin. Instead, you should run a dynamic warm-up.

Cómo debemos estirar antes de entrenar

8. Stretch without heating

Static stretching is a low intensity movement, which means that when you spend 30 seconds on each stretch without moving, it can cause your body temperature to drop. Not only does this decrease your range of motion, it can also put you into relaxation mode.

The goal of a warm-up program should be to increase your range of motion, but stretching before training can decrease your performance, so instead it is better to prioritize dynamic bodyweight exercises such as jumps, squats, lunges, irons and others to keep you moving.

¿Qué tipo de calentamiento es mejor antes de correr?

Reference

  • Halse, H. 8 Stretching Mistakes That Are Hurting Your Workout. For Livestrong [Revised December 2016]