Stretching Between Sets
At the gym today I noticed some people working out that caught my attention. I realized they were forgetting a crucial step when exercising - stretching between sets - which brought me to write something about it.
Stretching between sets is key to avoiding muscle tension. It also allows your muscles to work longer and harder, maximizing muscle growth. Ever wonder why your muscles get tense after working out? It’s because you’ve just expanded them, and naturally they want to contract to their original size.
To avoid muscle tension, make sure you’re stretching between sets. I’m not talking about pulling your arm out of its socket, but stretching so that you feel a slight tug on your muscle. Stretch your muscles to let them know that you’re not done working them. Do this so they don’t become too relaxed and return to what is called - full muscle recovery - when muscles return to their full, relaxed state.
Here is an example of how to reduce muscle tension by stretching:
After completing a bench press set, stand up and raise your arms pointing outward. Sway your arms back and forth to the point where your shoulder blades touch at the middle of your back. Do this fairly quickly multiple times. Afterwards, you will notice that your pectorals (chest muscles) don’t feel as tense as they once did.
Be sure to keep stretching and moving throughout your workout. If you do, your muscles should continue to feel loose as you move from exercise to exercise. In the end, your muscles will be able to work longer and harder, ensuring you’ve gotten the most work out of them.