Get Stretch Savvy

Most people know that the pyramid of balanced fitness includes cardio, strength training, and flexibility. And that’s usually the order in which they prize those components. There’s good reason to rethink the value of suppleness.

“Stretching is much more than just increasing your range of motion,” says Arnold G. Nelson, PhD, an associate professor of kinesiology at Louisiana State University and author of Stretching Anatomy: Your Illustrated Guide to Improving Flexibility and Muscular Strength. “Flexibility supplements other activities. It can actually enhance your endurance and increase your strength.”

Stretching balances your body and helps you adapt more easily to different ways of moving, which is good news for when you decide to change your exercise routine to avoid boredom and plateaus. It’s also a good way to help newbies ease into a fitness program. And dynamic stretches—movements similar to your sport but less intense such as slow practice swings for a golfer—enhance performance.

Nelson’s Tips for Stretching Smart
• Don’t be in a hurry and don’t be overly aggressive. If you’re going to thoroughly stretch, warm up with a little cardio first.

• Four is the magic number. There’s little to gain from doing more than four 30-second repetitions of any stretch.

• Be consistent and devise long-term goals. Stretching several times a week reduces the chance of muscle injury, pain, and fatigue and offers improvement in joint flexibility.

— Michele Deppe