Powerful Benefits Of Stretching (You Probably Didn’t Know)
When it comes to health and wellness, stretching is often one of the afterthoughts for many people. This includes a vast majority of the CrossFit © community. Most of us have heard stretching is crucial to our health, but do we understand why it is so important?
We often live feeling like we are powerless to the ebb and flow of society, the CrossFit © Open and others’ opinions. When we start to choose activities for our wellness, we are taking back the hold of the reins. I’m happy your eyes landed here today as I will explain WHY stretching is essential. I will help you to choose the activities you do with intention and love for yourself.
In the following paragraphs, we will be discussing how regular stretching can:
reduce the risk of injuries
release dopamine (and what that means)
improve our sleep quality and
relieve stress
How stretching reduces risk of injury.
Let’s take a moment to dive into the science behind the process of stretching our muscles. Many of us spend long periods being sedentary (for example working at a desk, driving long distances, etc.). When movement is limited, our essential tissues are in a state of limbo as they are receiving limited blood flow.
Why is blood flow essential?
Our blood is a rich source of nutrients, water and oxygen (to name a few). When we stretch via a Mobility MMVMNT practice, we invite those nutrients into our cells. This occurs through vasodilation (aka widening of blood vessels). When our vessels dilate, invaluable sources of wellness are circulated to our tissues(1). Our muscles then become enriched with nutrients. The flow of our blood will also get rid of any waste products our bodies no longer need.
An example of a “waste product”:
Lactic acid, a source of sore, tense muscles. This chemical can build up in our tissues as a byproduct of energy production via glucose (sugar) and oxygen. Often during intense exercise, the amount of oxygen our cells receive is not enough to keep up with our energy demand. What follows is energy produced without oxygen and thus creating lactic acid as a byproduct of this process. Lactic acid then gets left behind and initially causes that intense burn and eventual stiffness after a strenuous workout. This is consistent with the CrossFit © Open due to notoriously intense workouts that have us shedding blood, sweat and tears.
When we taking care of our recovery (like the new OPEN Snacks in the MVMNT membership) post exercise, blood flow nourishes our tissues and flushes out lactic acid. It is not a cure-all for soreness. It is a means of providing our bodies with the best possible chance of feeling rejuvenated post workout. We are all too familiar with the feeling of stiffness that causes difficulty getting up and down from the toilet.
When it comes to our muscles, It is helpful to think of them as rubber bands. Picture a rubber band and how brittle it becomes when not used regularly. Often, they will snap after being sedentary for a while due to the lack of stretching and movement (injuries, anyone?). When we perform MVMNT routines consistently, we offer essential blood flow to our tissues that we may not use frequently. Practicing a proper warm-up routine before workouts and recovery sequences post workout (check out our OPEN specific sequences) will ultimately improve our chances of healing. Optimal muscle function during the Open and the rest of our lives are additional anticipated benefits.
Dopamine: what is it, and how does it work for us?
This neurotransmitter (aka chemical messenger) created in our brains is vital to our feeling of wellbeing, happiness and fulfillment. Dopamine does not stop there; however, it is also responsible for countless other crucial bodily functions. Motor and memory function, digestion and sleep are only some of the other responsibilities of this chemical. Simply put, we cannot expect to thrive without dopamine.
How does dopamine effect performance?
Have you ever noticed a deep feeling of refreshment following a MVMNT session? Dopamine is one of the endorphins to thank for that. When we extend (and send blood to) our tissues, dopamine is released from the brain via our reward center. It is activated when we do things for our body that feel refreshing. Dopamine can be secreted when we merely anticipate doing something that we know will have rejuvenating effects. Therefore, its release will happen with the simple act of planning to stretch. Dopamine will have us feeling a surge of wellness before we even hit the mat.
A huge part of our performance in the gym is thanks to our levels of dopamine. Our rate of perceived exertion (RPE) is directly related to the amount of this neurotransmitter that is being secreted by our brains(2). The study quoted below shines a light on the significance of dopamine in relation to performance(3):
Additionally, proper regulation of arousal, calmness, and focus may play an important role in the regulation of pacing, all of which may be influenced by correct balance of neurotransmitters and/or other peptides, including dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, and endorphins.
Bottom line:
When we feel flat, unmotivated or sad, it’s time to take action! If we commit to a regular MVMNT routine we will start to reap the benefits that dopamine has to offer.
Improve quality of sleep with MVMNT practices.
Sleep is vital. In a recent study, regular stretching was shown to improve rates of chronic insomnia. Keeping that in mind, let’s discuss the benefits of recovery MVMNT. We will discover how these MVMNT sequences assist us to sleep better before our heads even hit the pillow.
Let’s face it. We are busy humans who frequently over-commit ourselves during our wakeful hours. We go through our days without taking any time for ourselves. This busyness may feel “normal” for us, but it’s essential to recognize its impact on our bodies. As physiotherapist Anna Ribaudo so beautifully puts it(4):
“I tell my patients to compare themselves to someone running a marathon,” she explains. “Your day is like your marathon. It doesn’t matter whether you’re walking, standing or sitting at a desk, your muscles are being tested. Stretching is a way to relax them so you can rest more comfortably.”
Anna Ribaudo, PT, DPT, OCS, CKTP,
We must take the time to allow our body and mind to transition from our state of hyperactivity to a state of relaxation and ease. Transitioning to a relaxed position is precisely what we have in mind when designing our MVMNT restorative sequences (we even have a special sleep section!). These practices contain soft music, relaxing vocal tones and gentle movements. Restorative MVMNT will assist us in shifting our mindset from one of hustle and angst to calm and tranquility. Once we have taken the time to wind down, we will find that is it easier to fall asleep. Furthermore, sleep will be deeper and restful, leaving us in an optimal state to tackle our day with vivacity.
Stretching helps to reduce stress. Here’s how:
When we choose to take time for ourselves, we develop a deep sense of self-love and wellbeing. Our relationship with our mind and body will increase fulfillment and how we are able to support others. Here at MVMNT, we strive to foster love for ourselves (which we all innately crave) through mobility and stretching.
An article published more than 20 years ago states there is a correlation between performance levels and the amount that a task is enjoyed(5). To put it simply, the more we love what we are doing, the better our performance will be. This relationship is significant to consider when thinking about the upcoming CrossFit © Open. The workouts are intense, and the recovery time between them is short (especially if a workout is attempted twice).
If intensity is higher, recovery is crucial.
Recovery is vital during times of high stress. When we perform a sequence from a MVMNT series, we allow our body time to decompress all of that stored energy. The release occurs via activation of our parasympathetic nervous system, leading to an increased sense of calm and relaxation. If that energy is left unacknowledged, it will build up and lead to increased levels of stress. Unclaimed energy will ultimately cause our enjoyment and performance to decline dramatically.
It’s crucial to keep in mind the vast emotional and mental benefits we receive from stretching. Practicing mobility helps to keep us focused on our bodies and present in the moment. Through this mindfulness, we will begin to build our tissue resilience. When we develop tissue strength, we start to build our emotional and mental resilience as well.
Wish to dive deeper into stress relief? Take a look at our previous blog post Releasing Stress Stored in the Body.
It’s time to get moving!
Now that we are empowered with the knowledge of the benefits of regular stretching and mobility work, it’s time to take action! For your convenience, I have added a link at the bottom of this page to take you to your free MVMNT trial so you can get started right now. Don’t delay! Your body and mind will sincerely thank you.
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