Stretching? Why is it important?

In the mist of all the cardiovascular conditioning and weight training is another well needed training resource. Stretching, this resource is overindulged by some and all but forgotten by others. thew prime example of the over done part would be yoga and palates. I am not taking anything away from these two methods of stretching and exercise but they are both completely centered around stretching. Then there are the people who will workout continuously with weights and conditioning and never stretch at all. I truly believe that stretching is an essential part of any form or type of training regiment. Why do I say this? The answer is simple. As we train our muscle break down and recover to become stronger. If you continue this pattern long enough without stretching you will end up like the guy in the gym that everybody makes fun of. You know the guy that walks around like a robot that cannot straighten his elbows or walk properly. Why does this happen? Well all that work has built up scar tissue in the muscle belly causing it to be crowded and stiff. With out a lot of stretching and some other things such as deep tissue message this problem will persist.Not only does it affect your mobility but it also will impede new muscle development due to the crowding by the scar tissue. What I suggest to do is to start some sort of regiment of stretching that is regular.Stretching is a simple way to break up this scar tissue. A good rule of thumb is to stretch your parts that you are working out that day between sets. So if you are doing chest you would stretch you pecs between sets on every exercise. This has also shown to increase growth hormone in some studies by the Russian Olympic team years ago. What ever you decide to do. Weather you incorporate stretching between sets or implement yoga or palates you owe it to your body to do some sort of stretching with your routine.After all who wants to walk around like a rigid stiff robot?