Small Mistakes That May Be Sabotaging Your Workouts

Doing The Wrong Type Of Stretching

Aside from doing a proper warm-up, stretching is another crucial activity many people neglect before exercising. Although many people know that stretching is important before a workout, not everyone does the right type of stretches. Static stretching (for example, doing a hamstring stretch or shoulder stretch) is best used as part of a post-workout cooldown. Stretching before working out should involve movement; this type of stretching is called dynamic stretching. Examples of the ideal type of pre-workout stretch include lunges, high knees, and jumping squats. In a 2013 study published in Strength and Conditioning Research,scientists found that participants who did static stretching before working out showed an eight percent reduction in lower-body strength and a twenty-three percent reduction in lower-body stability. There are many easy dynamic stretches that people at any fitness level can use before working out.