Welcome to Week 4! Warming up, as advised in last week’s e-mail, should not be confused with stretching. They are two separate activities. Warming up is always good, while stretching can actually be bad. The rest of this e-mail is dedicated to explaining the differences. If you’re good to go, go ahead and click the link below to access this week’s workout. (Always remember to login to view the content.)

Static Stretching

There are two main stretching techniques used by athletes: static and dynamic. Static stretches are typically held for 15 to 30 seconds. Research has indicated that static stretching actually slows the body’s ability to respond to quicker movements. In scientific terms, the neuromuscular response has an increased latency to relay motor abilities. As a result, this type of stretching, when used as a warmup, can lead to injury because the muscles now take longer to length to respond to the activity. Tearing of the muscle can more easily occur.

Dynamic Stretching

The other main type of stretching is dynamic stretching. Dynamic stretching uses controlled motion to move a body part to its end range. Imagine marching in place with your knees extended and kicking each leg high in the air until you feel a mild stretch along the back of your legs. Dynamic stretching has been found to not increase the latency or response of the muscle to lengthen during an activity. Therefore, dynamic stretching will not contribute to injury and can be used as part of your warmup.