Since there are
no choices, I will just answer them based on a personal trainer's perspective.
Muscles are best warmed up before stretching because they are already
contracted and relaxed making movement in the joints more fluid. If an
exercising individual performs a stretch when the muscles are cold, injuries
are likely to happen. This is because the muscles are too cold and unprepared
for the demanded movement.
However,
the on-going trend in the fitness industry these days is to know what are the
two types of stretching activities. These are the active and passive stretches.
Active stretch is best done BEFORE a work-out; this involves active movement of
the joints and the whole body while performing a light stretch. Passive stretch
is best done AFTER a work-out; this lessens the lactic build-up that occurs in
the muscles after a physical activity.
