运动拉伸应该在什么时候进行？

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

来自VOA学习英语，这是健康与生活方式报告。

Years ago, the traditional advice was to do some stretching before exercising. Over the years, that advice changed to stretching after exercising. It turns out that both advice can be true. And that can lead to some confusion.

多年前，传统的建议是运动前进行一些拉伸。随着时间的推移，这一建议转变为运动后拉伸。事实证明，这两种建议都是正确的。这可能会导致一些混淆。

Stretching can help make you more flexible. The more you stretch, the more you improve the range of motion in your joints. This not only feels good, but it also can prevent injury and lead to better physical results.

拉伸可以帮助你变得更灵活。你拉伸得越多，关节的活动范围就越大。这不仅感觉良好，还可以预防受伤并带来更好的身体效果。

David Behm researches human body movements at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John's, Canada. Speaking with the Associated Press, he offers advice on when to stretch and how to do it safely.

大卫·贝赫姆在加拿大圣约翰的纽芬兰纪念大学研究人体运动。与美联社交谈时，他提供了关于何时拉伸以及如何安全拉伸的建议。

Warm up first

首先进行热身

It is almost always good to stretch. However, Behm says it is better if you warm up first. He suggests light aerobic activity such as jogging, walking or cycling for five to 10 minutes.

几乎总是好的拉伸。然而，贝赫姆说，最好先进行热身。他建议进行轻度有氧活动，如慢跑、步行或骑自行车，持续五到十分钟。

He suggests to follow that warm-up movement with static stretching. This traditional way of stretching involves reaching your body into different positions and holding them for about one minute each.

他建议在热身运动后进行静态拉伸。这种传统的拉伸方式涉及将身体伸展到不同的位置，并每个位置保持约一分钟。

Then you can do dynamic stretching related to specific exercises or activities. This is where you warm up the muscles with repeated movements like leg lifts.

然后你可以做与特定运动或活动相关的动态拉伸。这是通过反复的动作如抬腿来热身肌肉。

Expand your definition of ‘stretching’

扩展你对“拉伸”的定义

Should you always stretch before exercising? If it is traditional static stretching, not necessarily, Behm says.

你是否应该在运动前总是拉伸？如果是传统的静态拉伸，未必需要，贝赫姆说。

The better questions, he says, are, “Should people increase their range of motion? Should people have better flexibility? And that is yes, because it helps prevent injuries. It helps with health. But you don't have to stretch to achieve that.”

他说，更好的问题是：“人们是否应该增加他们的活动范围？人们是否应该拥有更好的灵活性？答案是肯定的，因为这有助于预防伤害，有助于健康。但你不必通过拉伸来实现这一点。”

Resistance training, for example, can be an effective form of stretching. Doing a chest press increases range of motion in your arm and chest muscles. Whether you use barbells, dumbbells or machines, there is no need to stretch beforehand. However, Behm warns to start with a small amount of weight to warm up and then add more to train.

例如，抗阻训练可以是一种有效的拉伸形式。做卧推可以增加手臂和胸部肌肉的活动范围。无论你使用杠铃、哑铃还是机器，都不需要提前拉伸。然而，贝赫姆警告说要从少量重量开始热身，然后逐渐增加重量进行训练。

He adds that you do not need to stretch first if you are going for a short run. Simply start with a slow jog to warm up and then increase the speed.

他补充说，如果你要去短跑，首先不需要拉伸。只需慢跑热身，然后逐渐加速即可。

Don't do it if it hurts

如果感到疼痛就不要做

After exercise, light stretching is fine, as long as you do not feel pain, Behm says. Because your muscles will be warm by that point, overdoing it makes you more likely to injure yourself.

贝赫姆说，运动后轻度拉伸是可以的，只要你没有感到疼痛。因为此时你的肌肉已经变暖，过度拉伸更容易导致受伤。

Foam rollers can help with muscle recovery and have been shown to increase range of motion as well as stretching.

泡沫轴可以帮助肌肉恢复，并已被证明能够增加活动范围以及拉伸效果。

Do some static stretching before sports

运动前做一些静态拉伸

If you're playing a sport, Behm says, static stretching beforehand helps reduce muscle and tendon injury.

如果你在进行体育运动，贝赫姆说，运动前的静态拉伸有助于减少肌肉和肌腱的伤害。

Sports like gymnastics, ice skating, and golf require a great range of motion. For these activities, he suggests extra stretching specific to those sports.

像体操、滑冰和高尔夫这样的运动需要很大的活动范围。对于这些活动，他建议进行额外的针对性拉伸。

“If you're going to do an explosive movement, change of direction, agility, sprint, any of these explosive activities that involve your muscles and tendons,” he said, “you're going to be stronger if you do static stretching.”

他说，“如果你要进行爆发性动作、方向变化、灵活性训练、冲刺，或任何这些涉及到肌肉和肌腱的爆发性活动，”你会更强壮，如果你进行静态拉伸的话。”

People can especially get in trouble when they go back to a sport they used to play. Stretching can prepare muscles that may be out of shape. Also, he says to stretch both sides of your body equally. Lacking flexibility on one side also can lead to injury.

特别是当人们重新开始他们曾经玩过的运动时，可能会遇到麻烦。拉伸可以准备可能变形的肌肉。此外，他建议双侧身体都要拉伸。身体的一侧缺乏灵活性也可能导致受伤。

Sounds simple. Why all the confusion?

听起来很简单。为什么会有这么多混淆？

Different studies over the years have led to different advice about stretching before exercise. Behm says that is partly because some studies did not consider real-life conditions. Also, some researchers designed studies with high-performance athletes in mind and not regular people.

多年来，不同的研究导致了关于运动前拉伸的不同建议。贝赫姆说，这部分是因为一些研究没有考虑实际情况。此外，一些研究者设计的研究以高水平运动员为对象，而不是普通人。

“If you're Usain Bolt, it makes a difference,” he said. For the rest of us ... not so much.

他说，“如果你是乌塞恩·博尔特，那是有区别的。”对我们其他人来说……影响不大。