Thursday, January 31, 2008

Don't Forget to Stretch


In an effort to get in an out of the gym as quickly as possible, and still pack in as much cardio and weight training as possible, many people (myself included) skip the stretching part of their routine.
What do you gain from stretching anyway?
Well, according to the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, stretching will not only increase flexibility but strength as well.

Scientists asked 30 men to stretch each leg for 2 minutes, 5 times a week. After 6 weeks, the participants’ flexibility increased by 35 %. Their hamstring strength increased by 5% and their quadricep strength increased by 3.2%.

The scientists determined that stretching helps make legs stronger because it increases the muscles’ range of motion. This improves joint movement gives muscles more power.

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