Published on: 05-Feb-2024
Our fitness goals are important to us. Whether it’s losing weight or building muscle, we set them and we put the work in either at the gym or at home. Exercise, muscle contractions, and stretching are all interconnected.
How is this possible? We’ll explain it all in this guide. It’s clear that stretching should be done before exercise.
If you think about it, muscle contractions are also part of the process. The good news is thanks to this guide, you will understand the entire concept of exercise and how stretching and muscle contractions play a role. Let’s begin with what you need to know.
What are muscle contractions?
Muscle contractions are a process that occurs when you exercise – be it with weights or other types of exercises. Your muscles will work during your session and will receive signals from your nervous system to shorten its fibers while generating enough force to keep you moving. Contractions are beneficial for you as it will help improve your strength and endurance.
If you’re performing exercises focused on a specific muscle group, they will strengthen and become more resilient. One of the best types of exercises for contractions includes resistance training – which can help induce hypertrophy or increase your muscle size. At the end of the day, you’ll become stronger.
Cardio can be excellent for building muscle endurance. A few of the factors that will play a role in muscle contractions in this regard will include frequency, intensity, and the duration of your session. However, it’s important to not overdo it to the point where you risk injury or overtrain.
What makes stretching important?
Stretching is an important part of exercise – especially before you get to work on the session itself. This will help warm up your muscles and reduce the risk of injury. At the same time, you’re giving your musculoskeletal system the benefit of balance and flexibility.
When your muscles contract repeatedly, they can become tight. If you fail to stretch, muscle stiffness may occur. Moreover, stretching will also open the door to increasing your range of motion. When people say stretch before you exercise, it should be common sense.
What if you’re dealing with pain before, during, or after exercise?
If you are experiencing pain at any point of the day such as before, during, and after exercise, it’s important to take it seriously. For one, it may depend on certain factors. If the pain is located in your back, you may want to consider treatments for a herniated disc if such diagnosis confirms it.
More importantly, pain may occur during exercise. When that does, you want to listen to your body and adjust accordingly. This includes ceasing your workouts if the pain gets to be too much.
Remember that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to see a healthcare professional as soon as possible to get a proper diagnosis. From there, you will be able to follow their instructions in regards to treating your situation as well as advice on how to move forward with your exercise plan (which may include additional rest or less intensity).
Final Thoughts
Exercise, muscle contraction, and stretching work together. After you stretch, your muscles will be able to withstand the contractions and won’t stiffen compared to those who don’t stretch accordingly. Muscle contractions are not a bad thing since they help make your muscles get stronger or handle more intense long workouts.
At the end of the day, they are your best friends when it comes to your overall fitness goals. Don’t derail them because you failed to stretch.
