Fitness Junction

This week:

• Knowledge Corner: Static stretching

• Monthly Challenge Update: The Two Day Rule wrap-up and February preview

• Meme Center: Don't ask me about my resolutions

Knowledge Corner: Static Stretching

Stretching is a key component of a well-rounded fitness regime. If you are like me however, you have a hard time prioritizing adequate amounts of stretching. Today I want to cover the reasons why we should all strive to stretch more and provide tips for maximizing the effectiveness of the time we spend stretching.

Beginning with reasons to stretch:

• As we age, our muscles and connective tissues (tendons and ligaments) atrophy, dehydrate, and stiffen, reducing our flexibility by ~10% every ten years. Those negative aging effects can be mitigated with stretching protocols.

• Stretching improves athletic performance and aids in injury prevention by increasing flexibility, balance, and range of motion.

• Stretching can help fix posture and reduce inflammation.

For stretching tips, I am going to discuss static stretching specifically. Static stretching consists of holding a position for an extended duration. Active and dynamic stretching involve movement and I will discuss their utility in future newsletters.

Tips for static stretching:

• Unless you are loosening up a particularly sore muscle or rehabbing an injured one, static stretching should not be done as a warm-up. This is opposed to what most of us learned in sports and gym class growing up, but static stretching has been shown to reduce muscle strength for up to two hours after stretching.

• Post-workout is the optimal time to perform static stretching. Here is where you can target the muscles utilized in that workout to return them to normal resting length.

• When moving into a static stretch, progress slowly. Once you reach the point of tension - where your can feel the sensation of the stretch - hold it there for 30-60sec. Current research demonstrates that a 30sec minimum is ideal for ensuring you get the long-term benefits of stretching.

• Aim to stretch muscles multiple times per week. Studies show that muscle groups should be stretched for a combined 5min weekly through multiple sessions to maximize benefits. Temptation bundling is a great way to find time to get extra stretching in!

If you want a comprehensive deep dive on stretching, check out this podcast.

Trivia

What was Mike Tyson's quickest professional knockout?

• A. 30sec

• B. 91sec

• C. 8sec

• D. 105sec

January Challenge: Two Day Rule

The Two Day Rule proved to be a great tool for building a new habit. While I failed to go the whole month without missing practice two days in a row, I was much more consistent than I have been in the past. Plus, I was reminded of an important lesson in the process: Get your goal-related tasks done in the morning, when you're in full control of your time. That prevents distractions - and life in general - from interfering with your progress.

Looking ahead to February: the month often claimed to be the worst of the year. The crap weather is the main culprit behind that sentiment, as it can deter us from getting outside. So for this Feb, I'm challenging myself and my subscribers to get outside for at least 15min, five days a week. Go for a run, shovel your sidewalk (no one ever got jacked using a snow blower), play with your kids or dog in the snow, or just take a walking break at work. Whatever it takes to get your butt outside, make it happen. I think the fresh air and vitamin D (yes, you absorb it even when it's cloudy) will do us all some good during this typically dreary month. Good luck and have fun!

Meme Center

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Trivia answer: A. 30sec . It occurred against Marvis Frazier (Joe Frazier's son) on July 26, 1986. Tyson also recorded professional knockouts at 37sec, 38sec, and 39sec (twice). He did KO an opponent once in 8sec, but that was as an amateur at the 1981 Junior Olympics.