FEATURED ARTICLE: Importance of Stretching for New Muscle Growth
It is very important, especially as you age. First, if you do everything correctly from a stimulation standpoint with weights-from
refueling to getting proper rest and recovery- the result should be some muscle growth. Now, when muscles are growing, they're
actually shortening to a degree. So as they hypertrophy, they're also getting shorter and tighter.
If you weight-train for years on end and then attempt a very fast motion, such as throwing a baseball hard, the tendon at the lower
biceps insertion can rupture. That's because you've trained the muscles and tendons at a slow speed and with heavy resistance. Once
they encounter a fast, lighter form of movement, the unique stress can cause a rupture. You should incorporate other types of exercise
so that your muscle won't develop one dimensionally-and that includes stretching.
Stretching can also positively affect the myofascia, which encases the muscles. Think of the skin on a chicken. Beneath the skin but
on top of the meat is a thin, whitish layer That's the myofascia. It can become tight and thick when the body is under too much
stress or at rest too often. Stretching can help loosen the tissue, but a more aggressive remedy is myofascie trigger point therapy.
If you're feeling tightness in odd places, like the neck, lower back or top of the pecs, you may have fibromyalgia. It was once thought
only people who were inactive got fibromyalgia, but it's now known to hit anyone at anytime (provided a certain predisposition gene is
exacerbated by stress and some other immune factors). The likelihood of this disease happening to a bodybuilder is slim; however, having
myofascial problems is common for those who use their muscles daily. If stretching and some recovery time don't relieve the problem,
take a trip to a good physical therapist.
One last point on injuries: Near-max attempts can cause problems. I have seen bodybuilders rupture the pectoral- deltoid tie-in and the
vastus lateralis, the outer part of the quadriceps, where the muscle attaches near the knee. The ruptures are usually due to steroid use,
which can result in lifting weights that are far too heavy for the body's frame and tendons and ligaments. Smart bodybuilders never use
weights that can't be pushed (or pulled) for a minimum of five to six perfectly smooth reps for the upper body and eight to 12 for the
lower body. Staying with moderate, low-end rep counts will almost ensure a rupture-free bodybuilding career.
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