research intro/thesis draft

     As we all know, America is in the middle of an extreme epidemic. Obesity is a major problem in our country but what are we doing to help? Not as much as we should be doing, and that is for sure. Improvements on MyPlate have been made and campaigns are helping to raise awareness but what does everyone say it takes to be healthy? Diet and exercise. Health professionals are making an effort to help society gain knowledge about diet and nutrition but our country is completely in the dark about the exercise portion of health. With little no efforts being made to educate society, even some of the most educated gym-goers are unaware of the differences between static and dynamic stretching. Many are also unaware of the effects of both. Gym-goers are most often practicing static stretching prior to exercise thinking that they are doing themselves a favor. Little do they know, static stretching is not doing your muscles any favors! Static stretching consist of stretching the muscles while the body is at rest. Dynamic stretching consists of stretching the muscles with the use of force and momentum while actively improving range of motion. Some believe that static stretching is the best way to prepare the muscles for activity and avoid next day soreness. This is where efforts need to be made to educate society on the effects of static and dynamic stretching.