"Stretching is a form of physical exercise in which a specific muscle or tendon (or muscle group) is deliberately expanded and flexed in order to improve the muscle's felt elasticity and achieve comfortable muscle tone."
A proper stretching routine before starting up helps to reduce the risk of injuries during walking and jogging.
Warm-up exercises: These are exercises performed before walking or jogging to help warm up the muscles and prevent injury.
Cool-down exercises: These are exercises performed after walking or jogging to help prevent injury and reduce muscle soreness.
Improving flexibility: This involves stretching exercises that help improve the range of motion of the joints and reduce stiffness.
Benefits of stretching: This topic covers the many benefits of stretching exercises such as improved flexibility, increased blood flow, and reduced muscle tension.
Common stretching exercises: This topic covers a variety of stretching exercises that are commonly used before and after walking and jogging such as hamstring stretches, calf stretches, and quadriceps stretches.
Stretching techniques: This topic covers different stretching techniques such as static stretching, dynamic stretching, and PNF stretching.
Stretching frequency: This topic covers how often stretching exercises should be performed to achieve maximum benefits and prevent injury.
Stretching duration: This topic covers how long each stretching exercise should be held for maximum benefits.
Stretching intensity: This topic covers how far a stretch should be taken to produce maximum benefit without causing harm.
Correct posture and alignment: This topic covers how to maintain proper posture and alignment while stretching to prevent injury and ensure maximum effectiveness.
Breathing techniques: This topic covers proper breathing techniques while stretching to promote relaxation and enhance stretching effectiveness.
Stretching aids: This topic covers various stretching aids such as foam rollers and straps that can be used to enhance stretching effectiveness.
Stretching safety tips: This topic covers safety tips for preventing injury while stretching and walking or jogging.
How to incorporate stretching into a walking or jogging routine: This topic covers how to add stretching exercises into your daily walking or jogging routine.
Static stretching: Holding a particular stretch for a period of time, ranging from 20 seconds to 2 minutes.
Dynamic stretching: Involves performing movements that mimic the sport or activity you are preparing for.
Passive stretching: Using an external force to increase the stretch, such as using a partner's help.
Active stretching: Contracting one muscle group to stretch the opposing muscle group.
Isometric stretching: Involves contracting a muscle while in the stretched position.
Ballistic stretching: Involves bouncing movements that moves the body to the limits of its range of motion.
PNF stretching (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation): Involves holding a muscle stretch while contracting the muscle before stretching it again.
Foam rolling: Using a foam roller to massage the muscles, aiding in recovery and flexibility improvements.
Yoga: Involves various poses, some static and others dynamic, that improve flexibility.
Pilates: Focuses on core strength and flexibility with a series of exercises and stretches.
Tai Chi: Involves gentle movements and stretches performed in a meditative state.
"The result is a feeling of increased muscle control, flexibility, and range of motion."
"Stretching is also used therapeutically to alleviate cramps and to improve function in daily activities by increasing range of motion."
"Stretching often occurs instinctively after waking from sleep, after long periods of inactivity, or after exiting confined spaces and areas."
"In addition to vertebrates (i.e. mammals and birds), spiders have also been found to exhibit stretching."
"It is common for athletes to stretch before (for warming up) and after exercise in an attempt to reduce risk of injury and increase performance."
"Stretching can be dangerous when performed incorrectly."
"Some techniques may be ineffective or detrimental, even to the point of causing hypermobility, instability, or permanent damage to the tendons, ligaments, and muscle fiber."
"Pre-exercise static stretching usually reduces an individual's overall muscular strength and maximal performance, regardless of an individual's age, sex, or training status."
"For this reason, an active dynamic warm-up is recommended before exercise in place of static stretching."