I think that unconsciously, as humans, we stretch throughout the day. The first thing the body wants to do when awakening in bed is to stretch out properly, enjoy a massive yawn and prepare itself for the day ahead. I think the same goes for training; one needs to prepare the body for the workout ahead. In this day and age, we sit in one position for hours on end, more than ever before. So if you’re sat a desk for 10 hours straight, only breaking for tea and preferably water breaks, some muscles will naturally become tighter and others weaker. For example, the hip flexors will be in a mildly contracted state whilst seated, and after a while the hip flexor can tilt the pelvis forward, causing the spine to round, which leads to pack pain. It’s worth just stretching out your body for just a few minutes everyday – the pelvis, hip flexor, back, neck and shoulders to help your body stay conditioned, ready for another day of hardcore chair-sitting. So after a hard day of sitting the body NEEDS a stretch before a proper training session!
Getting to the gym may feel tough enough, so that all you want to do is ‘get on with it’, jump on a treadmill and dispatch your HIIT sprints or weight training. But I would argue a good 10 or 15 minutes pre stretch is a critical way to prepare your body for the work ahead – get your muscles and your nervous system fired up, get blood circulation going (blood, nutrients and oxygen to your muscles), and help you make the very most of your session.
Avoid Injury: Going in cold significantly increases your chances of sustaining an injury. You’ll want to lubricate your joints to be a well oiled machine, which will help you stay lithe and flexible.
Avoid static stretches: This will only lower you heart rate and body temperature. Static stretches have their place, but I prefer them for the post-workout warm down.
Opt for dynamic stretches instead: Meaning that you’re perpetually moving, holding each stretch for less than 5 seconds and moving about. Jogging on the spot is also encouraged.