No politics here. Just some interesting information.
Nearly always, I stretch before riding my bike. Always, I begin riding at a slow speed in an easy gear, and take a while to crank it up. Turns out, the stretching might not be such a good thing. In retrospect, I'm not sure I get less sore when I omit it.
Fact-oriented scientist that I claim to be, I'm gonna omit the stretching and see what happens.
Many people take it for granted that they should start their exercise routines with some stretching on the spot, perhaps hoping it will loosen them up for their work-out. Most fitness experts now agree this kind of static stretching before exercise is not just counter-productive, but potentially harmful.
Traditional stretches, like when people bend over to touch their toes or stretch their legs on a fence, often cause the muscles to tighten rather than relax - exactly the opposite of what is needed for physical activity.
Experts say it is like extending a rubber band to its limit. When people stretch to the maximum, they are more likely to pull a muscle.
And now, presumably, back to the ranting and raving that really affects my health.
