Stretching - The Forgotten Workout Session

When planning our weekly yards, miles, and hours of training, most of our thought process centers on the actual activity of our chosen sport, whether swimming, biking, running,  or all three.  Granted, sport-specific training may be the most fundamental element of a successful program.  When coupled with a core strength-building regimen, such as weight training, it can form a potent one-two combination that fosters fitness and performance gains.  But an often overlooked yet equally important component of the exercise cycle - stress, nutrition, recovery -  is stretching.

Few among us will question the benefit of stretching.  By encouraging the circulation of blood and lymph fluid, stretching is both preventative and curative.  No one would argue against warmed muscles cells outperforming unprepared, tight tissue.  Anyone who has limbered-up a range of motion has noticed how it increases, even after just a short stint.  Every athlete with stiff, sore muscles instinctively kneads and stretches the affected muscle group.  So, given all of this,  why is it that most of us are so adverse to maintaining a regular daily stretching program?

The simple fact is that the vast majority of us are already "over-stretched" with time commitments and don't have the luxury of allocating 15-30 minutes a day to another activity.  Sadly, we perform a brief stretching ritual prior to a run or race and otherwise only on an as-needed basis to address soreness.  Without resorting to exercise-guru-like admonitions, let it be noted that a regular stretching session should be a component of every athlete's overall regimen, but how can we accomplish this?

If simply setting aside a regular block of time just proves too difficult, the answer may be found in creatively parlaying other activities into stretching sessions.  Harnessing one of the biggest time-bandits of all, television, is an obvious solution.  The time spent viewing a mere 30 minute show should provide ample opportunity to stretch tired legs.  Another culprit is commuting.  This poses a far more challenging situation as safety issues abound when behind the wheel, but if one judiciously picks the right spots, sore swimming shoulders can be adequately serviced.  If the nine-to-five plants us at a desk job, a veritable gymnasium lies before us and perhaps the wide-eyed glances of our office mates.