Stretching: Let's Do IT!!! and say we didn't....

Do you ever have times where someone is trying to help you out with something, usually someone older than you and MUCH wiser, and is imparting on you some type of advice they "learned from the hard way"?  For some reason, lately I feel I have been realizing all these old things and habits are coming to fruition. At the time, I never really take the person seriously. I'm the oldest of 3 kids, so I never had anyone's mistakes to learn from (other than my own. Thankfully I make lots...).  I'm not one to turn down advice, but sometimes things just don't "click" for me.

The main example for me has been stretching.  Not yoga or anything hardcore, but just stretching before and after workouts.  Since high school, I have been continually told of the benefits of stretching.  It helps prevent injury, makes you more limber, yada yada yada.  I never really understood the point.  "It's a safe way of warming up".  Starting whatever activity you are about to do is another way to warm up.  "It's supposed to cool you down."  Oh really?  So does not stretching (Boom, lawyered...).  I always hated doing it, mainly because I thought it made me look like a weakling.  Even at college, I never once stretched after I lifted weights or played basketball.  I never made the time.

I call on top....

After the KC Half Marathon and training through various foot and leg ailments in October/November, I decided to try out stretching more with workouts.  I work with A LOT of Physical Therapists that continually stress the importance of maintaining a proper balance in your body, and use various types of stretches to create this physical equilibrium (among MANY, many other things). I started out with basic stretches, the ones I learned and used in high school, and started doing them.

I would just stretch after runs, and immediately noticed how insanely tight my calves were.  Again, I never, ever stretch.  I also noticed tight quads, hamstrings, and HIPS!!! Oh my hips... So tight... I quickly learned that I was probably going to be fighting an oncoming injury.  This is basically the last thing I want next year, so I used (and am continuing to use) the rest of 2011 to develop and stick to a stretching routine.

This stretch helps with bike power and SWEET ASS LEG KICKS!

I've got it down to about 15 minutes, and I do it after every single workout as a way to PROPERLY cool down.    Since I mainly abuse my legs with training, I try to hit each major muscle group twice, and hold each static stretch for 30 seconds.  That means 2 for the calves, hamstrings, quads, Hip Abductors, Hip Adductors, Hip flexors and extensors.  My hips have been the hardest/most painful because I have neglected them the most.  But I am noticing some improved flexibility, which I'm assuming is good. Although not surprising, I am also now injury-free.  I have no more pain in my feet, which I think may have been due to some improper fitting shoes AND TIGHT CALVES! Shocking....

The main reason I am now making time to stretch is because of the improved recovery I have noticed.  I am not as sore the day after workouts as I used to be.  And I have changed nothing, other than stretching.  Maybe some pain with stretching (ego pain) equals less pain (physical pain) post exercise. I will take ego pain over physical pain any day!

You won't see me doing the splits anytime soon, nor bragging about how I stretched for a couple hours last week, but the importance of stretching has finally "clicked" for me.

The Capital of Thailand is???  That's right... Van Damme.

Thanks for reading!