Runner 4

Stretching:

You have probably been told to stretch before you run or perform vigorous exercises. I myself have become accustomed to stretching before and after every run I do. Why do we stretch? Is stretching even good for you?

Stretching was thought to loosen muscles, prevent injuries, and prepare for a workout of any sort. I view it as waking my muscles up before forcing them to work. When I do not stretch, I feel like my muscles are cold and resistant, almost as if they are more prone to getting pulled or strained; granted, I have never directly related an injury that I have had to in proper stretching.

Believe it or not, scientific tests in the lab showed that stretching in most cases does not aid the body, and in extreme cases can even worsen the muscle state. Prolonged stretching can backfire and make a muscle more tight than it already has been. Science blatantly states that there is no direct relationship between stretching and athletic performance.

Why then do so many runners ignorantly stretch? The truth is that many athletes, raised in the habit of stretching and warming up, find it unnatural and uneasy to perform without proper drills before hand. If anything, stretching becomes a placebo to injuries or mental stress.

Whether stretching turns out to be good, pointless, or even harmful, I will continue to stretch. For me, stretching helps give a reassured and confident mind, where I know my body is ready to train, or perform, and ultimately, a science lab cannot be certain about everything.