The Importance of Stretching before a Walking Routine

Mindset
Before you begin your walking regime getting into the proper mindset is important. This would be a great time to review why you are engaging in a walking program to begin with. Look forward to the benefits the walking routine will have on your health and longevity. Begin to breath more smoothly, open up your mind and senses to all that is around you. These cues will help your mind to get into the correct gear so that you can begin to perform at optimum levels. Develop a pre-walking routine with a set of cues to make the transition from rest to movement as smooth as possible.

Warm Up
To expect the muscles to perform without any warming up is to invite the possibility of injury. Considering that many people walk after first rising in the morning, the muscles have been dormant for a number of hours. At this point it is important to warm them up and allow them to loosen and prepare for walking. Muscles that are warm will perform much better then cold muscles and are not as prone to injury. A simple set of warm up exercises done slowly is all that is necessary for the muscles to produce heat. Being certain to warm up the muscles before walking will pay dividends during and after your walking program is completed.

Preparing the Muscles
Warming up the muscles is preparing them for exercise. Whether you will be walking slowly, moderately or quickly preparing the muscles is important. Simples ways of warming the muscles are: shaking the legs laterally from side to side, bending at the waist, bending at the knees and lifting the thighs waist-level. Preparing the muscles is not complicated just a mimicking of movement is all that is really necessary. Low stress and low level movements are all that is necessary to prepare the muscles for a 60 minute walking routine. The warmth generated will allow the muscles to accept the walking exercise more gracefully.

Releasing Energy
Stretching is one of the best methods for releasing the energy stored up in the muscles. It also begins the process of the metabolism transforming glucose into the energy that will be necessary for walking. The muscles store potential energy that you want to channel into walking and stretches begins the releasing process. Stretching the muscles is not the same as warming them up. Warming up the muscles should precede stretching them. Cold muscles don’t respond well to stretching and is probably the number one cause of muscle pulls and injury. Stretching is much more dynamic then simply warming up and will actually over time change the flexibility level of the muscles. A good stretching routine can produce many benefits over the long term for muscular health.

Sample Stretches
Toe Touch: Feet spread shoulder width, bend at the knees and touch toes, straighten the legs, hold for 5 seconds or so. This stretches: calf, hamstring and lower back muscles.
Waist Stretch: Feet spread shoulder width, arms extended out to side so body forms a “T”, rotate at the waist side to side, do 10 times or so. This stretches: abdomen, oblique & back muscles.
Cross Toe Touch: Perform after toe touches; Feet spread a little more then shoulder width, arms extended out to side so body forms a “T”,  reach with left hand down and touch right foot, hold 5 seconds, return to original position, repeat with right hand. Perform 10 times each hand.