How To Gain Muscle Mass - Stretch Your Muscles!

If you are interested in how to gain muscle mass, you cannot ignore stretching. Stretching does more than increase flexibility. A slow, non-bouncing stretch, called a static stretch, can reduce immediate muscle soreness and increase a muscle's range of motion. As the muscle performs a more complete movement, larger forces are produced and greater muscular adaptations are stimulated. Be sure you don't strain the muscle, however. Stretch for ten to fifteen seconds before each set.

Stretching is a vital part of a complete workout. Besides increasing flexibility, it can enhance agility and coordination. This is particularly important in sports such as gymnastics and karate. Stretching can reduce stress through the relaxation of the muscle and help prevent injury to the joints and tendons. Properly done, it can also increase muscular strength.

A slow, non-bouncing stretch, called a static stretch, has been shown to reduce immediate muscle soreness. Everyone is familiar with the use of a stretch to relieve a muscle cramp. Research has now shown that static stretching decreases the electrical activity within skeletal muscle, which may explain why it is so effective for soreness. Care must be taken, however, to use the correct stretching technique. When performing a stretch, don't force the muscle to tense up by straining it. The whole point of stretching is to release tension, allowing the muscle fibers to elongate.

Visualize the muscle expanding as an elastic band would. Keep on lengthening the fibers slowly and without stress. If you feel a burning sensation or if the muscles start to quiver, you have gone too far. Ease off a bit. Of course, over time your muscles will adapt to these movements and become more flexible, allowing you to stretch them further without getting a pain sensation.

Done correctly, stretching can extend your muscles' range of motion. A muscle moves through only a portion of its total range during everyday life, so there is a significant reserve capacity. In weight training, however, you want to move the resistance through the fullest range of motion the muscle is capable of. Stretching allows you to move through a greater portion of this range, so the muscle fibers are able to contract over a greater distance than they would otherwise. Greater forces are therefore produced, stimulating additional muscular adaptations.

To be most effective in producing muscle growth, the stretch should be done after your body is warmed up. Stretch the body-part for ten to fifteen seconds immediately before each set. Pre-stretching a muscle activates certain nerve impulses in the muscle spindles and primes the muscle for the "stretch reflex," which (like any reflex action) causes a reaction to the initial movement. As the muscle moves through a greater range of motion, more muscle fibers are recruited. The end result is a stronger contraction and a greater amount of generated tension, which induces more muscle growth. Because the stretching is done during the rest period between sets, it does not prolong your workout. Stretching is therefore a wise investment of your time.