Never Stretch a Cold Muscle

You're getting ready to workout. Great! But is your instinct to stretch before you begin? Unfortunately that is one of the worst things you can do and we'll tell you why and what to do to properly warm up.

When a muscle is "cold" its naturally in a tightened state. The tissue is retaining water and your neurological system is not fully awake and ready for exercise. If you try to stretch a cold muscle, the body's natural reaction is to tighten it to prevent injury.

The proper way to stretch a muscle is to first warm it up. Literally. Simple movements like jumping jacks, jumping rope, or a simple walk will increase blood flow to the muscle, increasing its temperature, and awaken the neurological system to get you ready for your exercise routine.

Try this simple technique to decrease injury and dramatically improve the quality of your exercise.