Stretching: the overlooked fitness essential



Physical fitness is all about cardio exercises and weightlifting… right? If you've ever finished a run and then jumped straight into the rest of your day without stretching, only to wake up the next day feeling stiff and with aching muscles, then listen up. Flexibility plays a big role in our lives – even bending down to pick something up off the floor requires flexibility – but it's often ignored and neglected. So, why and how should we stretch?



When athletes stretch, it's not just for show, they do it to prevent injury. A review of research called 'Effects of Stretching on Injury Risk Reduction and Balance' highlighted that stretching not only reduces injury risk by improving the flexibility of the muscles, it also improves balance, which reduces the risk of falls and those associated injuries.



Stretching can also help maintain good posture by keeping our muscles long and loose, which is especially important if you spend hours hunched over a desk. In the modern world, many of us spend a large proportion of our days sitting, which can lead to chronic pain, particularly in the neck and shoulders. Stretching can alleviate this tension and boost blood circulation.



What's the best way to reap these benefits? While stretching advice varies, the ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal provides guidelines which include stretching the major muscle groups such as the hamstrings and quadriceps at least two or three times per week.



A 2017 review of research, published in the Sports Med journal, suggests that dynamic stretches, where you stretch in slow, repeated movements, have greater benefits in a pre-exercise warm-up than static stretches, where you hold a pose. Stretching is better after a quick warm-up because the muscle is more pliable, reducing the risk of muscle strains.



Stretching isn't just for athletes and fitness lovers. "Stretching is also an accessible way to unwind and destress during or after a busy day," says Jessica Matthews, professor of kinesiology and author of 'Stretching to Stay Young'. So why not finish the day relaxing in a child's pose, a spinal twist or a happy baby?



词汇表

physical fitness [ˈfɪzɪkl ˈfɪtnəs] 身体素质，身体健康，体能

cardio exercise [ˈkɑːdiəʊ] 有氧运动

weightlifting [ˈweɪtlɪftɪŋ] 举重

stretching [ˈstretʃɪŋ] 拉伸，伸展运动

stiff [stɪf] 僵硬的，不灵活的

aching muscle [ˈeɪkɪŋ] 酸痛的肌肉

flexibility [ˌfleksəˈbɪləti] 柔韧性，灵活性

bend down [ˈbend] 弯腰，俯身

associated [əˈsəʊsieɪtɪd] 相关的，有联系的

posture [ˈpɒstʃə(r)] 姿势，体态

hunch over [ˈhʌntʃ] 弓着背，弯腰驼背

chronic pain [ˈkrɒnɪk] 慢性疼痛

alleviate [əˈliːvieɪt] 减轻，缓解

tension [ˈtenʃn] 紧张，紧绷感

blood circulation [ˌsɜːkjəˈleɪʃn] 血液循环

reap the benefits [ˈriːp] 收获益处，获得好处

ACSM 美国运动医学学会（American College of Sports Medicine）

hamstring [ˈhæmstrɪŋ] 腿筋（大腿后侧的肌肉群）

quadricep [ˈkwɒdrɪsep] 股四头肌（大腿前侧的肌肉群）

dynamic stretch [ˈdaɪnəmɪk] 动态拉伸（即缓慢、重复地进行拉伸动作）

pre-exercise warm-up 运动前热身

static stretch [ˈstætɪk] 静态拉伸（即保持一个姿势）

pliable [ˈplaɪəbl] 柔韧的，柔韧的，易弯曲的

muscle strain [streɪn] 肌肉拉伤

accessible [əkˈsesəbl] 容易获得的，可行的，容易做到的

unwind [ˌʌnˈwaɪnd] 放松，松弛；解开，松开

destress [ˌdiːˈstres] 缓解压力，消除紧张

kinesiology [kɪˌniːsiˈɒlədʒi] 人体运动学

child's pose 儿童式（瑜伽姿势）

spinal twist ['spaɪn(ə)l] 扭脊式（瑜伽姿势）

happy baby 快乐婴儿式（瑜伽姿势）



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