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What is stretching? planes. We also stretch to improve blood circulation to our entire body, especially the Stretching is physical activity that elongates muscles being used while exercising. the muscles being used. According to Another benefit to stretching is to improve Professor Davis from Lehigh University, and increase our range of motion, especially what actually happens during a stretch is to our joints. Specifically, stretching gives very complex. He said, “Each muscle us better balance as our range of motion contains stretch receptors which attach becomes greater. Finally, we stretch to themselves to the working part of the relieve → Muscle Groups ← muscle called, muscle fibers. The stretch tension and receptors measure the degree of the relax the To increase flexibility include these muscle stretch, sending a message through the muscles in our spinal cord to the nerves that control the groups in your body. As stretching routine: contraction of the muscle where the students, we receptors are.” may have -shoulders (deltoid tight or tense and rotator cuff) What are the benefits of stretching? muscles as we -back (muscles of the lower, middle, and There are several benefits and reasons we are often upper back) stressed out stretch before and after exercise. Firstly, -thighs (hamstring we stretch to increase flexibility, which about our and quad) carries over to everyday life; tasks such as homework, -calves bending down or reaching up to move an tests, and (gastrocnemius and object. The more flexible we are, the easier projects. We soleus) -arms (biceps, it is to move around and work on different may even be Daniel Brogan

stressed about social aspects of school and arguably the most effective and or most simply stretching in Physical Education can common. It consists of controlled leg and help us relax. arm swings that take us to the limits of our range of motion. Dynamic stretching is not Are there different types of only useful in athletics, but also in physical stretching? education as we warm up for fitness testing, active games, dances, etc. There are numerous different types of stretching including ballistic stretching, When do we stretch? which involves bobbing the body up and down and forcing a muscle beyond its Stretching is very important not only before normal range of motion. For we workout or participate in physical example: bouncing up and activity, but also after. The best time to Dynamic = down to try and touch stretch our muscles is when they are motion our toes. This type of warmed up. This is why most physical stretching will not be education classes begin class with a jog and Static = no used in physical follow up with stretching. Most of the time motion education, for it can easily dynamic stretching is used pre-physical lead to injury. Passive activity and static and or passive stretching stretching is another type where the is done post-activity. Both are very intensity of the stretch is increased as a important and are most effective when partner applies additional pressure. Passive used properly and in accordance with each stretching is closely related to static other. Within our workout or physical stretching, where a position is held by activity the warm-up and cool-down are another part of your body (or some other equally important; therefore stretching apparatus) for a should be done in both of these phases. certain amount of time. Dynamic stretching is the fourth type of stretching, and Static Dynamic

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Ballistic Stretching in PE Class muscles to relax and re-establish their normal range of movement. Stretching, In Physical Education stretching is necessary both dynamic and static, are beneficial in a and is physical education class should be used done each each day to begin and end class periods. time the class meets. We must Body Part Stretching Exercise stretch our muscles Hip/Glute from the different muscle groups to get them loose, warmed Hamstring up, and ready for physical activity. Most likely to warm up, the class will go for a light jog for about five minutes and then take Hip Flexor part in a set of different dynamic stretches to help reduce muscle stiffness that may easily come from sitting in desks and chairs Back all day. In physical education different

sports and games are played such as dodge- Calf ball, soccer, basketball, tennis, ultimate Frisbee, etc. where stretching is essential. It is used in class as a way to help prevent Quad injury, which is why we warm up before participating in the activity and cool down Inner Thigh before class dismissal. Although we do not want to spend an entire class period on stretching, it is still necessary to spend part of the class on warming up and cooling down. As a cool down the class would use static stretches to help the Daniel Brogan

*The best time to stretch is after a brief warm- up, after blood flow has increased and raised the temperature in your muscles, and after cooling down

*A key to maximizing the benefits of stretching is to perform stretching exercises two to six times, to the point of mild discomfort, and hold Key Points to Remember for ten to thirty seconds

*Stretching keeps your body young, keeps *Always stretch the major muscle groups first such as legs, torso and back your muscles flexible and healthy, and prevents certain kinds of muscular *Women tend to be more flexible than men at degeneration all ages

*Improving your level of flexibility will enhance *Static stretching is considered to be the safest your ability to perform certain physical and approach to flexibility exercises sports-related tasks

Name of URL General Audience Rating Site Content Running http://www.runningplanet.com/training/dynamic- Dynamic Middle 1 Planet versus-static-stretching.html vs Static School ↑ Stretching

New York http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/sports/playmag The Truth Middle 1 Times azine/112pewarm.html?_r=1&ref=playmagazine About School ↑ Stretching

Lehigh http://www.lehigh.edu/~dmd1/russ.html Stretching High 1 University School ↑

People http://people.bath.ac.uk/masrjb/Stretch/stretching_4. Types of High 1 html#SEC33 Stretching School ↑

Run the http://www.runtheplanet.com/trainingracing/stretchin How to Middle 1 Planet g/chap4-when.asp Stretch School ↑

WebMD http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/healthtool- Basic Middle 2 basic-stretches Stretching School ↑ Exercises

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