Fitness Contrarian

There seems to be a lot of debate about stretching. Is there any real benefit to stretching? Do I need to stretch before playing sports? The New York Times just published an article called “ How Necessary is Stretching” which pointed out that runners who had tight hamstrings seemed to run easier (better running economy) [...]

One of the biggest mistakes people make in the gym is not warming up properly before a workout. In fact most people do more harm then good and set themselves up for injury. Most importantly, an appropriate warm-up should increase your body temperature (warm you up) and get you ready for more strenuous exercise. When [...]

Static stretching can make you weaker. Research has shown that holding a muscle in the lengthen position for 30 seconds can make the muscle weaker for up to 45 minutes. Save your static stretching for after the workout.