Fitness: Go on, stretch yourself

The benefits of stretching may not be as familiar to us as aerobics or weight training, which we know burn calories and strengthen muscles. But as we age, our lean muscle mass declines and we become less flexible, so the rewards of stretching become more apparent.

Commonly, sports and weight training cause muscles to shorten, which can make them feel tight and sometimes sore. A sedentary lifestyle and poor posture also contribute to inflexibility that a regular stretching routine helps counteract. Flexibility allows us to exercise freely and without injury.

Stretches are designed to apply tension to the muscle and its tendon and to put joints through their full range of motion, thereby increasing suppleness and reducing the risk of repetitive sports injuries. In addition, they prepare your body pre-exercise and, during the cool-down, help decrease blood flow and lengthen tight muscles — and they have a meditative quality that promotes relaxation.

There are three different types of stretches: static, dynamic and ballistic. Dynamic stretches are slow and controlled, used in preparation for sport-specific exercise and should raise your heart rate and warm muscles and mobilise joints by gradually increasing repetitions. When stretching as part of your warm-up, concentrate on the muscles you will be using during your main workout — so if you are about to run, prepare with arm swings, hip circles, half squats and leg swings, between 10-20 repetitions.