How many of us have walked into class with a knee or lower back that feels pain when you squat? Then, how many of us have walked into class asking what you can do to help it?

Chances are if you have and the pain isn’t acute or results in a loss of power (definitely go to your Primary Care Physician if that is the case), your coach has probably found the knot causing this pain! After a couple minutes of stretching or using our HyperIce recovery tools and a good warm-up, you feel right as rain!

Well, what if I told you there is a way to head this off and it can be done at the end of class or just by staying behind, at most, 10 minutes after class?

Post Workout Long Hold Stretches!

Holding stretches for :60 or more as a pre-workout routine is a great recipe for hyper extension injuries and muscle pulls. The uncle that makes fun of you for warming up probably appreciates that bit of knowledge!

It can reduce the contractile potential of muscles and allow you to hit a range of motion that is beyond what your ligaments are prepared to take (just ask anyone who has gone for that 1st muscle up and gone through the rings. That’s a hyperextension ya never forget)!

But, hold long stretches of exercise can be a miracle drug for injury prevention.

How?

Your body goes through a lot when you workout! Your central nervous system fatigues, muscles micro-tear, and you sometimes go a little deeper in that pain cave than you thought.

Stopping after your WOD and holding Pigeon Pose for 2 minutes each side after a heavy deadlift workout can help you recover more effectively and sooner by:

1. Getting your body to relax the hip and lower back muscles that would usually tighten to compensate for your exhausted lower back and hamstrings.

2. Promotes keeping blood flow in the joints you just used a tremendous amount so that post workout carbs and protein have a bigger highway to use to help restore energy and build new muscle more effectively!

3. Gives you a nice chance to mentally detox! Stretching is a great opportunity to breathe and relax after an intense workout and even longer day. If you’re chilling after a workout with friends at the gym, this also gives ya a great chance to just spend time connecting and talking about how rough those power cleans were!

Good News, We Are Gonna Help Facilitate More Long Stretching @ Vegvisir!

While we can sit here and tell you how awesome going for a stretch after a workout is for you, we know that it’s way more fun to do it in class!

As I’m sure you’ve noticed over the past couple days, we have been putting stretches in the time stamp notes for each class! And that your coaches have been starting to lead ya through them!

Well, you can start to expect more of that! Especially on days where we finish the MetCon with 3+ minutes left in class!

The daily stretches will be related to the most used joints/muscles of the day and run by your favorite coach!

So, when coach says “circle up” at the end of class, that means it is time to stretch and start that recovery early!

If you need another stretch because something is still feeling tight? Then your coach can give ya some more stretches to do as you watch the next class enter the fray!

To talk with a coach today, click the link found HERE to schedule your No Sweat Intro