HEALTH

Did you know that stretching before and after your workout can make or break your fitness goals? Plus, the importance of stretching goes beyond just helping you to reach those goals. Doing dynamic stretching before a workout is important because it helps to prevent injury and can make your sweat sesh more effective, while doing static stretches afterwards relaxes your muscles and promotes flexibility. Below are the different stretches you should do before and after your next trip to the gym:

Before - Dynamic stretches

Leg swings - 6 to 10 reps each leg

Neck circles - 6 to 10 reps  

Lunges - 6 to 10 reps each leg

Arm circles - 6 to 10 reps each arm 

After - Static stretches

Arm stretch - 30 seconds each arm

Quadricep stretch - 30 seconds each leg 

Butterfly stretch - 45 seconds to 2 minutes 

Swan stretch -  5 reps for 45 seconds to 1 minute

What is your favorite stretch to do?  Let us know in the comments below! 

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Photo credit: Giphy, Skinnymom, The Active Times.

by Cali Drouillard | 3/9/2017