Physical fitness is all about cardio exercises and weightlifting… right? If you've ever finished a run and then jumped straight into the rest of your day without stretching, only to wake up the next day feeling stiff and with aching muscles, then listen up. Flexibility plays a big role in our lives – even bending down to pick something up off the floor requires flexibility – but it's often ignored and neglected. So, why and how should we stretch?

身体健康是关于有氧运动和举重的全部……对吗？ 如果您曾经完成跑步，然后直接跳入剩下的一天而不会伸展，只是醒来第二天会感到僵硬，肌肉酸痛，然后聆听。 灵活性在我们的生活中起着很大的作用 - 即使弯腰从地板上捡起东西也需要灵活性 - 但通常被忽略和忽视。 那么，为什么以及如何伸展？

When athletes stretch, it's not just for show, they do it to prevent injury. A review of research called 'Effects of Stretching on Injury Risk Reduction and Balance' highlighted that stretching not only reduces injury risk by improving the flexibility of the muscles, it also improves balance, which reduces the risk of falls and those associated injuries. Stretching can also help maintain good posture by keeping our muscles long and loose, which is especially important if you spend hours hunched over a desk. In the modern world, many of us spend a large proportion of our days sitting, which can lead to chronic pain, particularly in the neck and shoulders. Stretching can alleviate this tension and boost blood circulation.

当运动员伸展运动时，这不仅是为了表演，还可以防止受伤。 对称为“拉伸对降低伤害风险和平衡影响的影响”的研究的综述强调，不仅可以通过提高肌肉的灵活性来降低伤害风险，还可以改善平衡，从而降低了跌倒和相关伤害的风险。 伸展运动还可以通过使我们的肌肉长而松动，从而有助于保持良好的姿势，如果您花费数小时弯腰在桌子上，这一点尤其重要。 在现代世界中，我们中的许多人都花了很大一部分时间坐着，这可能导致慢性疼痛，尤其是在脖子和肩膀上。 拉伸可以减轻这种张力并增加血液循环。

What's the best way to reap these benefits? While stretching advice varies, the ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal provides guidelines which include stretching the major muscle groups such as the hamstrings and quadriceps at least two or three times per week. A 2017 review of research, published in the Sports Med journal, suggests that dynamic stretches, where you stretch in slow, repeated movements, have greater benefits in a pre-exercise warm-up than static stretches, where you hold a pose. Stretching is better after a quick warm-up because the muscle is more pliable, reducing the risk of muscle strains.

获得这些好处的最佳方法是什么？ 尽管伸展建议有所不同，但ACSM的健康与健身杂志提供了指南，其中包括每周至少两次或三次伸展主要的肌肉群，例如腿筋和股四头肌。 2017年对《体育医学杂志》上发表的研究的评论表明，动态延伸（您以缓慢而重复的动作延伸）在运动前的热身中比静态伸展运动具有更大的好处。 快速热身后，伸展运动更好，因为肌肉更加柔韧，从而降低了肌肉菌株的风险。

Stretching isn't just for athletes and fitness lovers. "Stretching is also an accessible way to unwind and destress during or after a busy day," says Jessica Matthews, professor of kinesiology and author of 'Stretching to Stay Young'. So why not finish the day relaxing in a child's pose, a spinal twist or a happy baby?

伸展运动不仅适合运动员和健身爱好者。 运动机能学教授，'Stretaking tim nough''的作者杰西卡·马修斯（Jessica Matthews）说：“在繁忙的一天或之后，伸展运动也是一种让人的放松和破坏的方法。” 那么，为什么不完成一天的姿势，脊柱转折或快乐的婴儿放松呢？

词汇表

stretching 伸展运动，拉伸
stiff 僵硬的
aching 酸痛的
injury 受伤，伤病
posture 身体姿态
hunch over 弯腰驼背
chronic pain 慢性疼痛
tension 紧绷感
blood circulation 血液循环
reap the benefits 收获某事带来的好处
hamstring 大腿后侧肌群，腘绳肌
quadriceps 股四头肌
dynamic stretches 动态拉伸
static stretches 静态拉伸
pliable 柔韧的，柔软的
muscle strain 肌肉拉伤
unwind 放松，松弛
destress 缓解压力
child's pose 儿童式（一种瑜伽姿势）
spinal twist 扭脊式（一种瑜伽姿势）
happy baby 快乐婴儿式（一种瑜伽姿势）