What type of stretching is best before or after a workout?

If you want better results or are hitting a plateau in your fitness journey, try adding dynamic and static stretching to your next workout.

Dynamic stretching involves moving a joint through its full range to increase flexibility, Houlin said. Static stretching involves holding a single position for several seconds.

Static stretching can be passive or active. Active static stretching involves working one muscle while using other muscles to maintain the stretch, Houlin said, such as lifting one leg in front of you using strength from the legs and core. Passive static stretching involves extending a muscle using gravity or other stretching tools. This technique can look like a forward fold to stretch the hamstrings, allowing gravity to pull your upper body down.

Researchers have produced conflicting results when it comes to the best pre-workout stretch. For example, a well-cited August 2003 study showed that static stretching during warm-ups worsens muscle performance, while a November 2019 study found the opposite, with static stretching increasing muscle strength for the average person who gets in shape.

More recently, researchers have introduced themselves to dynamic stretching. An October study looking at sports performance found that dynamic stretching was better for pre-workout than static stretching because it reduces the risk of injury. A review of training programs conducted in April found that dynamic stretching produced a greater range of motion in the lower extremities as well as improved strength and power in those areas.

Physical therapist Dr. Mario Mejia recommends dynamic stretching before a workout because it prepares the body for strenuous activity. The active movements of dynamic stretching mimic the same movements you will put the body through during exercise.

“I’m a big dynamic guy because that’s how we move,” said Mejia, who cares for patients at Fox Rehabilitation in Rockville Centre, New York. “If you’re healthy, you never really sit still. »

Likewise, people who hit the gym don’t typically occupy a single position: They often perform compound movements such as running and squats that require moving multiple joints at the same time. Dynamic stretching creates the range of motion needed for these active movements and increases the nerve activity of the muscles, preparing them for movement. Mejia recommended taking five to 10 minutes to perform dynamic stretching before a workout.

One of Houlin’s favorite pre-workout dynamic stretches is what she calls the world’s greatest stretch. “It’s one of my favorite ways to warm up. It’s also a good universal tool for many different exercises,” she added.

Starting from a standing position, hinge at the hips and place your hands in a plank position. Remember to engage your core for stability and balance. Next, place one foot next to one hand like a tall runner’s lunge and lift the other hand off the ground. As you rotate your upper body, the dynamic stretch will give a nice twist through the midsection. Then, return your hand to the floor, return your foot to the plank position, and bring your hands back toward your feet to return to standing.

A second stretch Mejia recommends is to alternate between forward and backward lunges. Additionally, half-kneeling windmills help with spinal rotation, build core strength, and stabilize the hips and shoulders.

To do a half-kneeling windmill, you need to get into a half-kneeling position with one leg behind and the other leg in front. Grab a kettlebell in the same arm as the leg in front of you and lift it above your head. Your gaze should stay on the kettlebell, not in front of it. Push the hips back to the same side while holding the kettlebell and lower the opposite forearm to the floor before lowering your knee to return to the starting position.

Static stretching is best after a workout to return the body to a resting state, Houlin said. Recovery times after high-intensity activity help gradually return heart rate, body temperature and blood pressure to normal.

“By stretching the muscles I just exercised, the blood returns to those muscles to start the muscle repair process,” she said. Additionally, Houlin emphasized performing stretches targeting the muscles used during exercise.

Mejia added that static stretching during cooldown also increases muscle elasticity, reducing the chance of muscle pain and stiffness. “During an activity like running, you contract and lengthen your muscles for an extended period of time,” he said. “When you perform a static stretch at the end of a workout, you stretch the muscle fibers from their origin to their insertion.” Origin refers to a site where the muscle attaches to a bone that remains stationary during a contraction, and insertion refers to a site where a muscle attaches to a bone that moves during a contraction.

Pigeon pose is a static stretch that Houlin highly recommends post-workout. You are on the floor with your front leg bent 90 degrees at the knee and your back leg extended behind you. She said it was a great stretch for the hip flexors and glutes.

Mejia recommended hamstring stretches, calf stretches and a standing quad stretch. The quad stretch targets the quadriceps and hip flexor muscles when you stand on one leg and bend the knee of the other leg while grabbing the opposite foot, pulling it toward your back.

You should hold each stretch static for 15 to 30 seconds for two to four sets, Mejia said. “This is enough to produce the lengthening effect and improve range of motion.”

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Jocelyn Solis-Moreira is a freelance health and science journalist based in New York.