Flexibility is another factor of fitness that you need to incorporate into your weight lifting workouts. It’s easy to do and it’s an active form of rest that you’ll use between exercises.
Instead of resting fully between exercises, you’ll use this rest time for stretching.
The type of stretching you will do is weighted or forceful stretching. After every exercise, you will do the stretches for the muscle groups that were worked during that exercise.
You’ll do the stretches so that you’ve stretched every major muscle group that has been worked during the workout when the workout is complete.
1. Quadriceps
2. Hamstrings
3. Calves
4. Chest
5. Back Width
6. Back Depth
7. Shoulders
8. Triceps
9. Biceps
10. Forearms
For example, if you only worked the legs during a workout you will only stretch the quadriceps, the hamstrings, and the calves during the workout. You will do the stretches for each muscle group after the exercise for that muscle group has been completed.
In other words, you will only stretch after the muscle group is completely warm.
If you are doing full body workouts, you will stretch every major muscle group during the workout. Stretching will increase recovery, contribute to your overall fitness level, and help you get better overall results.
Stretching is a must.
I've actually built an entire section of the Weight Lifting Complete website dedicated to stretching between exercises. Find it here: Stretching Exercises.
You'll find links to stretches for each major muscle group. You can experiment with them and even come up with your own.
You're going to love the results from this type of stretching. Be careful and ease into this style of stretching. The results really are amazing. Stretching is so important so please don't leave this out of your workout program.
