Is Stretching Before a Workout Good or Bad for You?

You likely already know that stretching after a workout is a great way to cool down your body and allow it to begin the healing process. Plus, stretching can help you maintain mobility and flexibility, and stretching your body after a workout, when it is warm and loose, is a great way to elongate the muscles.
But, what about stretching before a workout? Is that a good idea or a bad idea? Well, it is a good way to begin to prep your body for what’s ahead, so you might already do a bit of quick stretching before a workout. However, if you are wondering if it is really necessary, continue reading for some information on what experts recommend.

Stretching Before Diving into a Workout Routine: It Might Not Make a Difference

According to Click2Houston, researchers tracked the warm-up routines of top athletes in order to see what their strategies included prior to their workouts. While some athletes did do some stretching before exercising, other athletes didn’t bother.
What did the results of this research show? Well, whether the athletes stretched before exercising or not, it didn’t seem to really make a difference in terms of their performance.

What About the Risk of Injuries?

Many people believe that stretching before a workout can help prevent injuries, but the research has shown that the answer isn’t so clear-cut after all. Experts aren’t entirely clear on whether or not stretching has an impact on the risk of injuries during exercise.

The Bottom Line?

If you’re used to stretching prior to working out and you like it, that’s great. You can keep doing what you’re doing. On the other hand, if you aren’t a fan of stretching to warm up your body, it likely won’t do any harm to just skip it.