Stretch Exercise

Wengen, Switzerland; photograph courtesy of Andrew Bossi

Note: One of our thirteen themes is not about nutrition—it's about exercise.   I can't do better than to repeat this article from last year, about the benefits of including stretching in your exercise routine.
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A Village Too Beautiful

Did I mention the beautiful wife is half-Swiss?  She is, which may explain how she avoids fights yet never surrenders.  A while back we thought it would be good to visit picturesque Wengen, birthplace of her great-grandmother.  The village, perched above an alpine valley and reached by cog train, is more beautiful than words can describe.  If you haven’t been there, put Wengen on your bucket list.

Despite the Alpine beauty, what I remember most about Wengen is the fitness of the people.  It’s a walking town—there are no cars.  Everyone walks; the walking paths are either climbing or descending.  People of all ages are fit and trim with muscular legs.  I don’t recall seeing anyone overweight and they had wonderful pastries.  A culture where people eat sensibly and live vigorous, muscular lives is a wonder to behold.  Which brings us to the subject of this week—exercise, with emphasis on stretching. 

Exercise

Exercise is the subject of four Healthy Changes—that’s how important it is.  The post referred to below called for 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week—a minimum of 2 hours.  A prior post, Not Quite Jack LaLanne, shared our family experience with exercise.  This week’s post will discuss stretching exercise.  Later this year we’ll discuss weight lifting, and then aerobic exercise.

To be healthy you must eat well, but you must also use your muscles.  Strong muscles build strong bones—they work together.  Note the cross-section picture showing muscle and bones for a 74-year old triathlete, equivalent to the bones of a 40-year old.  Note also the thin bones of the 74-year old sedentary person.  (In the picture, starting from the skin, fat is white, muscle is gray, and bone is black.)  This post also lists some of the life-extending benefits of exercise.

Flexibility and Aging

Have you observed how you become increasingly less flexible as you age?  Maintaining flexibility—through stretching—is one way to slow down the aging clock.  One study, reported in this N. Y. Times article, revealed a connection between the suppleness of your body and the flexibility of your arteries, including the coronary arteries critical to heart health.  Flexibility, like the touching of toes, is a marker for artery health. 

Here’s are common stretching benefits:

1. Increases flexibility
2. Improves circulation
3. Improves balance and coordination
4. Reduces lower back pain risk
5. Can improve heart health
6. Reduces the tension of stress
7. Improves energy

How to Stretch

The beautiful wife, depending on her stress level, can get painful muscle spasms in her back.  Stretching seems to help and we’ve had the intention for some time to add this to our exercise regime.  Time went by and we never got into a regular routine, though we bought books and yoga DVDs.  A few days ago, with a wedding coming up, we decided to get serious and made time in the morning after her walk, but before breakfast.  It seems to be helping so we’ve made a commitment to continue, daily at first, then 3 times per week.  Stay tuned; we’ll report back later in the year.

Women are better at stretching than men—I think it starts in the head.  Yoga is a favorite method, but there are other ways to stretch.  You don’t need to buy anything to get started—you can find resources on the Internet.  Go to YouTube and search under exercise.  You can even enter the part of your body you want to focus on.  Be cautious—an injury can delay your progress.  If you have concerns, check with your doctor.

Healthy Change

Please comment: Share your experience with stretching exercise.  How often do you do it, what do you do, and what's the benefit.

Comments

[Guy Clark]

Because of neck, back and shoulder injuries, I have been doing stretching exercises pretty much every day for about the last ten years. It greatly increased my range of motion, and reduced pain in those areas. Well worth the time. There are caveats, however. A friend of mine was doing some leg stretches before he ran the St. George Marathon many years ago, and tore his Achilles tendon. He ran the race, then couldn't run for about two and a half years. I introduced him to cross-fiber massage, and he began his running career all over again in about two weeks. Work up gradually on those stretches.

[Boot Camp Gold Coast]

Stretching does have its benefits, it is just a matter of understanding how to incorporate the right amount and type of stretching into the activity you have planned.

[Marie]

Multiple studies have shown no benefits to pre-exercise static stretching, and some studies have shown that it negatively affects performance (makes sense--why would stretching a cold muscle be a good idea?) These days it's more common to encourage stretching only after muscles are already warm.

[Sabrena]

Well I've spent a little time checking out your site -- and today am committing to starting the 52 week transformation. I feel blessed to have already discovered and incorproated so many of the things you're discussing (I'm a yogi and yoga instructor, mother of 2 children who tries to incorporate natural/attachment parenting principles into our daily living...and food plays a key role)...but I know there is still so much we can do. It has taken me years to get to the point I am, and this is a safe and 'doable' approach to still more welcome change.

We've planted a garden since my son's first summer (now four years old with a sister 18 months); they practice yoga with me and we eat limited processed food... but I know we can eat cleaner.

I spent time as a vegan and vegetarian...but I felt like PETA wasn't preaching sustainability to our planet. I am so excited to be on this journey (and you're like the MORMON MICHAEL POLLAN! that was meant as a compliment.)

CHeers and thank you for sharing your knowledge. As LDS members, I have been frustrated with the ease at which we may judge someone who has a rare cup of coffee or a glass of wine (instead of a Xanax) but consume highly processed foods or inhale McDonalds without a thought. This is such welcome information.