Extreme Power Solutions

Stretching is NOT cooling down. The best way to reduce muscle fatigue and soreness (which is usually caused by the production of lactic acid from your maximal or near-maximal muscle exertion) is to perform a cool-down routine. This routine is similar to the second half of your warm-up and consists of dynamnic and static stretching.

Ideally, you should start your warm-down with about 10-20 minutes of workout routine. It should then be followed by stretching until your heart rate slows down to its normal rate. Sport-specific activity, followed by stretching, can reduce cramping, tightening, and soreness in fatigued muscles and will make you feel better by reducing lactic acid build-up. Also, if you are still sore the next day, a light warm-up or warm-down is a good way to reduce lingering muscle tightness and soreness even when not performed immediately after a workout.

After my previous post on warming up before stretching, I had lots of questions about what it means to warm up. You should engage in at least five minutes of aerobic activity such as jogging, jumping rope, or any other activity that will get your blood flowing through your body. The purpose of this is to raise your core body temperature and get your blood flowing. Increased blood flow improves performance and flexibility and reduces the likelihood of injury.

Stretching is a part of warming up, but it is not warming up! Warming up is raising your core body temperature by a few degrees. It is very important that you perform the general warm-up before you stretch. It is not a good idea to attempt to stretch before your muscles are warm because it loosens stiff muscles. When done properly, it can actually improve performance. On the other hand, an improper warm-up, or no warm-up at all, can greatly increase your risk of injury from engaging in athletic activities.

Also active stretches and isometric stretches should not be part of your warm-up because they are often counterproductive. The goals of the warm-up are to increase awareness, improve coordination, improve elasticity and contractibility of your muscles, and a greater efficiency of the respiratory. Active stretches and isometric stretches are likely to cause the stretched muscles to be too tired to properly perform the athletic activity for which you are preparing your body, such as working out.

Your warmup should be divided into joint rotations and aerobic activity.

In addition to flexibility, there are lots of benefits from stretching…

- reduced risk of injury to joints and muscles
- reduced muscular soreness
- ability to learn and perform skilled movements
- development of body awareness
- enhanced physical fitness
- increased mental and physical relaxation

The only thing worst than not exercising, is doing your exercises incorrectly. Remember to work on your posture, instead of just your power.

Stretching provides a number of benefits. Some are apparent, such as a greater range of movement; while others can’t be seen, but are felt from within, such as an increased feeling of relaxation. Once you can see and feel the benefits of something, it is much easier to stay motivated and to continue with it. Stretching before and after your workout will assist you in greater performance and reduce injury.

Remember to hold each stretch for a minimum of 10-20 seconds, breathing slowly through your nose, and exhale out through your mouth as you ease into the stretch.

The most important thing about stretching your muscles, especially prior to exercise, is the warm-up. Cold muscles simply don’t stretch, you have spend time getting the blood flowing through your muscles by performing a few minutes aerobic work.

Here is a big mistake most people make before starting a new cycle.

The purpose is not only to check your current fitness level, but also so that you can see and monitor what improvements you’re making.

Any negative results, should always be looked upon positively, as by having the test done regularly you can see what changes you need to make in your training.

Don’t worry if results such as bodyweight may have gone up. Remember this could be due to an increase in healthier muscle tissue. You’ll need this to burn off the fat and to give your body a better healthier shape and muscle tone.

It is the positive gains that you can see on paper that will help you stay motivated, as sometimes the gains are there, but because they can come slowly, they are often missed. Not writing them down or getting a fitness test will ensure you miss any gains.

…then rest your joints! No, you don’t need surgery unless you have nerve-related issue, bone injury, or torn tendons.

At the very least, one should avoid the activity that led to the injury.

Massage therapy is helpful. They know how to perform manual manipulations where needed to help ease inflammation. Massage also increases circulation, which will help to deliver more oxygen to the damaged soft tissue. A good massage can help to speed healing and bring muscle pain relief.

Physical therapy should also be considered. A number of exercises can be beneficial, beginning with movements that target motion range of your shoulder. This can be as simple as moving the affected arm in circles. The level of pain will dictate how much exercise can be tolerated. Again, if there is any doubt, an orthopedist is best equipped to provide advice as to which specific exercises should be pursued.

Medication may also be taken to relieve muscle pain. Mild to moderate pain can be addressed with an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory, such as aspirin or ibuprofen. However, these drugs are also available in prescription strength, if necessary.

In addition to my previous post about shoulder muscle injury, I’ll tell you a bit about dislocated shoulders and why it’s really a muscle, not joint injury. A dislocated shoulder is when the shoulder slips out of joint and the ball of the humerus (gleno-humeral dislocation). But it is very different from a shoulder separation, which refers to an injury to the acromio-clavicular joint. It is also different from a subluxation, where the joint slips partially out of joint, and then returns back to the joint. But a true dislocated shoulder is a very painful experience. The muscles that move the shoulder tighten up and go into spasm after the shoulder has been dislocated. These muscle spasms prevent the shoulder from going back into joint easily, and a doctor or a trained medical worker usually has to move the shoulder in order to get it to go back into the joint. Once the shoulder is back in the joint, and an x-ray has been taken that shows that the shoulder is again in its normal position, most patients are then referred to an orthopedic surgeon for further care, rehabilitation and advice on what to do next.

Here’s a bit about shoulder muscles and common injuries. The deltoid muscles are attached to the blade along the spine and the shoulder. It crosses the shoulder joint and attaches to the humerus halfway down the bone and is the strongest shoulder muscle. Underneath is the rotator cuff a group of  muscles that form a strong cuff around the shoulder joint. They have a tendon at the end that attaches to the humerus. These four muscles are:

- supraspinatus - attached to the deep surface of the scapula and then travels in front of the humeral head; used to internally rotate the arm and to bring the arm down to the side of the body
- infraspinatus
- teres minor
- subscapularis

The three other muscles are attached to the back of the scapula and travel behind the humeral head. The supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor all insert on the greater tuberosity. They are also called the posterior rotator cuff. They externally rotate the arm and also help to bring the arm down to the side of the body. The supraspinatus muscle and tendon can be considered the weak link in the shoulder, since it is the most commonly injured part of the rotator cuff.  This muscle begins on the top and back of the shoulder blade and travels along the top of the head of the humerus. The ceiling of the space that this muscle travels in is formed by the acromion which is very vulnerable to wear and tear and injury.

To prevent injury, remember to stretch and warm up carefully.