| In This Issue......... |
I. Preventing Injuries. |
| II. Stretching The Right Way. |
Most injuries that occur in weight training and other sports could have been avoided. Yet, many people wait until an injury occurs before they begin to think about how it could have been prevented in the first place. Luckily you're not like most people and
you want to prevent injuries before they happen.
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| Preventing Injuries |
| Stretching can dramatically decrease your chances of injuries caused by weight training. Regular stretching will also increase your flexibility and allow you to remain flexible while increasing your muscle mass. |
| Some of the other benefits of stretching include: |
| - reduced muscle soreness.
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| - faster recovery from intense workouts.
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| - relief of lower back pain. |
| - better posture. |
| - increased agility and athletic performance. |
| In other words, if you want to be able to scratch your back when you get older, regular
stretching would be a good idea. |
| Stretching The Right Way |
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Warming up your muscles before stretching is very important. Perform any low intensity aerobic activity for 5-10 minutes. Riding a stationary bike would be a good warm up. |
| Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds. Do not bounce or bob while stretching. Bouncing can lead to injuries which is the exact opposite of what we're trying to do. |
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Never stretch an injured muscle unless instructed to do so by your doctor or physical therapist. |
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Expect a little discomfort while stretching, but it should not be painful. |
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Stretching before, after and in between sets works best. Start slow and gradually work your way up to the point where you can hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds. |
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To see exactly how to stretch specific muscle groups click here. |
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