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Saudi National Products Exhibition Concludes in Qatar

The exhibition also saw the signing of several agreements and memoranda of understanding under the auspices of the Saudi-Qatari Business Council - SPA
The exhibition also saw the signing of several agreements and memoranda of understanding under the auspices of the Saudi-Qatari Business Council - SPA
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Saudi National Products Exhibition Concludes in Qatar

The exhibition also saw the signing of several agreements and memoranda of understanding under the auspices of the Saudi-Qatari Business Council - SPA
The exhibition also saw the signing of several agreements and memoranda of understanding under the auspices of the Saudi-Qatari Business Council - SPA

The first edition of the Saudi National Products Exhibition in Qatar concluded with the participation of over 80 Saudi companies from the industrial, food, health, and commercial sectors.
The three-day exhibition helped to strengthen the brand image of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's exports and highlight its position in global markets, which is in line with the goals of Vision 2030 to increase non-oil exports.
Alongside the exhibition, various events and activities were organized to attract visitors, showcase the quality of national industries, and generate innovative ideas across different sectors. A dialogue session titled "Saudi Women and Their Excellence in Business" was held during the exhibition, focusing on the role of governments in supporting women in business, sharing their experiences and successes, and emphasizing Vision 2030's significant role in enhancing women's participation in economic development, SPA reported.
The exhibition also saw the signing of several agreements and memoranda of understanding under the auspices of the Saudi-Qatari Business Council. Notably, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Saudi Investor Innovation Company and the Qatari Kate Real Estate Group, aiming to collaborate in the field of shopping centers. Additionally, an agreement was signed between Asma Turki Home and Al-Najah Company to enter the Qatari markets, and another agreement was signed between BTOUCH EVENT and EVENT VQ Company for event and exhibition organization exchange.
The first edition of the Saudi National Products Exhibition in Qatar was held under the patronage of Saudi Ambassador to the State of Qatar Prince Mansour bin Khalid bin Farhan. The event witnessed the participation of government agencies, including the Ministry of Investment, the Saudi Export Development Authority (SAUDI EXPORTS), and the Federation of Saudi Chambers, as well as a prominent presence from businessmen and interested parties in Qatar.

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Should You Stretch before Exercise? After? Never? Here’s What to Know

Philadelphia Eagles stretch as they get ready during practice at NFL football training camp, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP)
Philadelphia Eagles stretch as they get ready during practice at NFL football training camp, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP)
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Should You Stretch before Exercise? After? Never? Here’s What to Know

Philadelphia Eagles stretch as they get ready during practice at NFL football training camp, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP)
Philadelphia Eagles stretch as they get ready during practice at NFL football training camp, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP)

For many people of a certain age, high school gym class began with reaching for their toes. Then, over the years, we were told it was better to stretch after exercise.

It turns out, both those things can be true, but the differing advice has created some confusion.

Stretching can help make you more flexible, improve range of motion in your joints — and feel good. David Behm, who researches human kinetics at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John’s, Canada, offers this advice on when to stretch and how to do it safely:

Warm up first

It’s almost always good to stretch, but it’s better if you warm up first, said Behm, author of "The Science and Physiology of Flexibility and Stretching." He recommends a light aerobic activity such as jogging, walking or cycling for five or 10 minutes.

Follow that with some static stretching, the traditional way of reaching and holding a position (think back to that gym class). You can then do activity-specific dynamic stretching, in which you warm up the muscles with repetitive movements like leg lifts.

Behm says one minute is "the magic number" for how long to do static stretching per muscle group without fatigue.

Expand your definition of 'stretching'

Should you always stretch before exercising? If it's traditional stretching, not necessarily.

The better question, Behm says, is, "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."

Resistance training, for instance, can be an effective form of stretching, he said. Doing a chest press increases range of motion in your deltoids and pecs, whether with barbells, dumbbells or machines, so there is no need to stretch beforehand. Just make sure to start with a small amount of weight to warm up and then add more to train.

"You probably don’t have to do extra stretching unless you’re a gymnast, a figure skater, or even a golfer who needs a great range of motion through that swing," Behm said.

Nor do you need to stretch first if you’re going for a leisurely run. Simply start with a slow jog to warm up and then increase the pace.

Don't do it if it hurts

After exercise, "light stretching is OK, as long as you don't reach a point where you're feeling pain," Behm said. Since your muscles will be warm by that point, overdoing it makes you more likely to injure yourself.

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

Do some static stretching before sports

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

"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."

People can especially get in trouble when they go back to a sport they used to play, whether it's tennis, surfing or any sort of team activity.

Also, stretch both sides equally. Lacking flexibility on one side also can lead to injury.

Sounds simple. Why all the confusion? Different studies over the years have either encouraged or discouraged stretching before exercise. Behm says that partly because some studies didn't reflect real-life conditions, or were designed with elite athletes in mind, not regular people.

"If you’re Usain Bolt, it makes a difference," said Behm. Not so much for the rest of us.