Does Stretching Count as a Warm Up
You Asked: Stretching For Warm Up?
You're asking and I'm answering . . .
"Fit, I typically stretch before my run on the treadmill, does this count for my warm-up?"
- Stretchy Sam
Good question, so to see my answer read more.
Simply put: No. Walking to warm up before running on the treadmill can prevent injury and soreness by getting blood flowing and warming up the muscles. Stretching on the other hand is completely different and should not be treated as a warm up. In fact it should be left for the end of your workout since stretching cold muscles can be risky and do more harm than good. Stick to a regular warm up (light version of whatever you're about to do) of at least five minutes, after move to your main workout followed by a cool down, and then you can (and should) stretch.
