To stretch or not stretch...

It’s a hot topic in the fitness arena these days.  Do you do a static stretch before you start exercising, or after? That is the question.

In the early 80’s, which is when I came to fitness, the conventional way of warming up for your exercise session included static stretching before your cardio workout.

Picture someone stretching their calf muscle, one foot forward, front knee bent, arms on a wall, tree or lamp post helping them support their weight as they lean forward into the stretch.

The new millennium also brought new stretching wisdom. Dynamic stretching is now widely used throughout the fitness and sport industries. Knee ups, straight leg kicks, standing bent leg kickbacks are examples of this type of stretching.

Now…these days, static stretching after you’ve finished working out is highly recommended.

I agree, because stretching before leaves the muscle too relaxed to do any meaningful exercise (in this case strength training). Supported by a wealth of research, post exercise stretching is the way to go.

Trying out 'Body by Science'

In line with studying the Body by Science book (keeping your workout to one intense workout a week), I've been incorporating it's core elements into my own training routine. So far, I'm more than impressed - tons of energy, better sleep, less appetite, and more strength.

Here's what I did this week.

I had enough energy on Thursday to do an interval style workout. This told me four things:

1. I like to work out twice a week
2. The very intense 15-minute workout needs to be eased into
3. I like interval training workouts that use a combination of cardio equipment and strength training machines at least once a week
4. Eating enough food at the right time and drinking enough water throughout the day are crucial elements if you want to build muscle and lose fat

I stretched after both workouts and the total amount of time spent exercising was 1.5 hours. I point this out because I feel so good, for such little time spent. Who says more time training, equals better results?

Until next time, 

Jody

No Time For Exercise, Have I Got News For You...

Do strength training, for a shorter amount of time and less often and you will gain all the fitness benefits that your body needs with less wear and tear on your joints. 

Sounds good, right? Well it is just that. The book by Dr. Doug McGuff and John Little called A Body of Science introduced me to this new concept, then proceeded to methodically explain how and why it works. They backed up their information with the latest science on body mechanics and a host of new studies and papers written on the subject.  

And, by the end of the book, I got it: strength training is the best exercise for your continued health.  

It helps to have some understanding of science physiology but even if you don’t, it’s a fascinating read.  Once you understand this new concept of training, look for a trainer that knows how to put you through the Body by Science routine. 

As a busy fitness trainer with over 35 year of experience I can say that this way of exercising makes perfect sense to me. Day one training session for me was yesterday. I set my weights and did my workout in 15 minutes. I’ll keep you posted.

I've attached an info video of the author being interviewed, coupled with an example of the workout. Keep in mind this is meant for all ages, men and woman. Check it out: