Hey Actionistas! You know I’m an advocate of stretching. I stretch everyday, and incorporate it into my fitness routine everyday. I give many tips of stretching, and this is my first DO NOT DO post on stretching. So read my 5 MISTAKES TO AVOID when stretching below, and leave your comments below!
1. BOUNCING: bouncing can cause muscle tears. Ballistic stretching triggers the muscle to tighten as a defense. Instead, gradually hold stretches, and come out of stretches with ease.
2. WRONG POSITION: to know you’re in the right position, the muscle you are stretching should feel tense, and then loose after stretching.
3. STRETCHING AN INJURED MUSCLE: this can make the injury worse. If muscle pain doesn’t go away in about 4 days then you should get it checked out. Gradually introduce low intensity stretching, and foam rolling to the inflicted muscle.
4. STRETCHING COLD: warming up for about 5-10 minutes is always a good idea before embarking on deep stretching. Warm up exercises could be a light jog, jumping jacks, high knees, a vinyasa yoga flow, etc.
5. TOO HARD: stretching beyond your limits can cause tearing in the muscle. The stretch is going to be uncomfortable, but not painful. Remember it takes time to increase flexibility.