What Do You Do First Stretching or Aerobic Exercises?

This has been an important question to me lately because I can not find a good answer to it. The schools that I have been to vary in which on they do first Stretch out or do Aerobic exercises like running in place, jumping jacks, push-up and so on. What does your school do first? And what is your own personal preference? Can anyone give me a good reason why one would be better to do than the other?
:confused: :confused: :confused:

Looking For Free Wavs, Jokes And Free Email? ---->
<A HREF="http://www.Rickswav.com" TARGET="_blank">www.Rickswav.com</A>

well. this is just my opinion, but..

I think the aerobic exercises is kind of exercise that requires you to be at least a little warmed up when you start doing it. you use your muscles in fast rhytm and I think that could cause injuries on your muscles and joints, if they're not already warmed up.

so. I like to start with warming up the joints and stretch a little. then proceed to aerobic exercises. sometimes I just warm up the joints, do the aerobic exercises and stretch after that. I don't know which one is better option.

I have done a lot of research on the subject. You should not stretch until you are a little warmed up. Cold muscles don't stretch as easily as warm ones do and you potentially risk injury

You could do the aerobic stuff first as long as it is not real high intensity. The object is to get the blood moving before you start stretching
This is my pre-class routine:

1. joint rolls (from the feet on up)
2. light warm up (I do a type of stepping practice called xing bu which is a substitute for jogging)
3. stretching (dynamic and passive)
4. basic

There a book called "stretching scientifically" that says that stretches are most effective when they're done after the body is already warmed up. The author outlines several different types of stretches (static active, static passive, isometric, and so on) and describes each of them and where they should be performed in a workout, with physiological justification.

I would say that aerobic exercises should be done before stretches of any kind, based on that book. I don't know what the medical/kinesology (I think that's the word) community thinks of the book, but the methods in there have certainly worked for me

I sort of mix the two: stretching and light workouts of jumping jacks and some rope work. Then I go back and do some serious stretching to get really limbered up.

K. Mark Hoover

thanks for clearing that up. it makes sense.

actually dynamic stretches ARE a warm up..i do them right when i wake up. youre supposed to do it gradually.. well now, i just wake up, stretch dynamically for 5 minutes and i can kick as high as i want the rest of the day without having to warm up

In our school, we do stretching exercises first, then aerobic exercises.

Personally, I believe that the practitioners should stretch before going to class so we don't have to spend the first 5 minutes stretching. I stretch before class also.

Personally, I believe that aerobics should be first. But not so much as jumping jacks and such, but maybe a simple, non-stressful form that gets the pulse up a bit and warming us up.

Underaged Drunken Monkey

Shinji is correct. Warm up, stretch, exercise. Never stretch without warming up, never exercise without stretching.

Jason C. Diederich

<A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/shaolinninjamarine/" TARGET="_blank">http://www.geocities.com/shaolinninjamarine/</A>