how important is stretching really?
antennachick
Posts: 464 Member
I hear tons of pros and I know the reasons for stretching but what works for you? I do moving stretching before a workout and then stretching after. In addition yoga at least twice a week.
So what are your thoughts and how important is stretching to you? Do you do before or after a workout?
Also, does it really help 'shape' the muscles or is it to help the muscles recovery after a workout?
So what are your thoughts and how important is stretching to you? Do you do before or after a workout?
Also, does it really help 'shape' the muscles or is it to help the muscles recovery after a workout?
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Replies
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A lot of recent studies have downplayed the importance of stretching before a workout. From what I have read it may be better just to ease your way into the workout. Stretching some after the workout seems to still be regarded as important.0
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Stretching ISN'T necessary for fitness unless lack of flexibility reduces you from completing a decent ROM.
Personally I'll do dynamic stretching before a workout and some static stretching if I feel like it after.
Stretching DOES NOT "shape" muscles. One of the biggest myths of yoga is that it builds LONG LEAN MUSCLE. Muscles are attached to their points on bone from when you were born. You can't lengthen them unless you detach them from bone. And yoga ain't doing that. Muscle is always built "lean". It's reduction of fat that makes one look leaner.
And DOMS is from exercise that the muscle wasn't accustomed to. Stretching muscle doesn't help it recover faster. It MAY help one feel better from DOMS because stretching is and exercise and just getting physical movement will increase blood flow to the area increasing warmth.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Second the suggestion to not stretch PreWO!
I stretch and use a roller/ball, and did have the aim of doing the splits.... I was asked why, and told that being overly flexible may decrease stability in lifting (powerlifting style)0 -
While true, it downplays more about STATIC STRETCHING before a workout. Dynamic stretching would be the choice if one wanted to stretch before a workout which is more preference than need.makingmark wrote: »A lot of recent studies have downplayed the importance of stretching before a workout. From what I have read it may be better just to ease your way into the workout. Stretching some after the workout seems to still be regarded as important.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I don't stretch any more at all and don't injure myself. If something is feeling twingy, I chill and let it go. Maybe my angle was a little funny or whatever. Next time, it's always better.
There's a buncha articles out there suggesting stretching weakens things and makes them more prone to injury.
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Static stretching before a workout can actually increase your risk of injury. I do static stretching after a ride because I can get really tight otherwise and working that tightness out later is more work.0
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I never stretch unless I have a muscle feeling tight.0
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It depends if you want bulk or flexibility. Stretch is essential for flexibility. It also helps older people reduce those aches and pains. But stretch should take place after the workout.0
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Maybe it depends on what exercise you plan on doing? I always do dynamic stretching before my kickboxing class and my fitness class, but not before going on the treadmill.0
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Are you suggesting that "bulky" people can't be flexible while gaining muscle?It depends if you want bulk or flexibility. Stretch is essential for flexibility. It also helps older people reduce those aches and pains. But stretch should take place after the workout.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI7IK9nZKYM AT 2:05 doing the splits
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I have a bad habit of not stretching after a workout, and I've ended up in PT three different times because of it. I apparently do have a limited ROM because of my avoidance of stretching that has led to injury because of how it has impaired my movement (ie. running and ankle/hip immobility). So I think stretching is important, just based on my own experiences. Studies seem to go back and forth and never agree.0
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Are suggesting that people with "bulk" aren't that flexible?It depends if you want bulk or flexibility. Stretch is essential for flexibility. It also helps older people reduce those aches and pains. But stretch should take place after the workout.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jocUABe0Rnk AT 2:15 doing the splits
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I don't spend twenty minutes stretching but I will do some for the sake of DOMS. I really feel the best stretching after a workout. To each their own I guess.0
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I stretch out the tight axis of my lower crossed syndrome, but that is all. Everything else gets stabilization work thanks to hypermobility.0
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I'm a big believer in stretching to avoid pain and to improve flexibility. All-natural cure-all.0
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I don't stretch before or after anymore. I do a slow warmup with cardio and then a cool down.0
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thank you! Very informative! I have heard so much crazy stuff...one was on fitness pal blog about stretching shapes the muscles...I didn't buy into it because they didnt give any reasoning to it.Stretching ISN'T necessary for fitness unless lack of flexibility reduces you from completing a decent ROM.
Personally I'll do dynamic stretching before a workout and some static stretching if I feel like it after.
Stretching DOES NOT "shape" muscles. One of the biggest myths of yoga is that it builds LONG LEAN MUSCLE. Muscles are attached to their points on bone from when you were born. You can't lengthen them unless you detach them from bone. And yoga ain't doing that. Muscle is always built "lean". It's reduction of fat that makes one look leaner.
And DOMS is from exercise that the muscle wasn't accustomed to. Stretching muscle doesn't help it recover faster. It MAY help one feel better from DOMS because stretching is and exercise and just getting physical movement will increase blood flow to the area increasing warmth.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I warm up on the rowing machine 10-15 min before lifting. It gives my muscles fair warning they are going to have to do some work after sitting for a few hours at a computer.
Not consistent at the after stretch, haven't noticed a difference when I miss it. It may when the weights get heavier, who knows.
Cheers, h.0 -
Before I lift, I walk 10 minutes and then do some stretching. Don't really care what studies say or don't say, as it's what works best for me.0
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feisty_bucket wrote: »I don't stretch any more at all and don't injure myself. If something is feeling twingy, I chill and let it go. Maybe my angle was a little funny or whatever. Next time, it's always better.
There's a buncha articles out there suggesting stretching weakens things and makes them more prone to injury.
Do you have anything you can link? I was a gymnast back in my teen years (nothing spectacular) and can still get pretty close to a full splits, but I also do heavy lifting, and I've always felt like the flexibility is a benefit to almost anything I do. I don't see it as weakening anything, especially not the ligaments.0 -
feisty_bucket wrote: »I don't stretch any more at all and don't injure myself. If something is feeling twingy, I chill and let it go. Maybe my angle was a little funny or whatever. Next time, it's always better.
There's a buncha articles out there suggesting stretching weakens things and makes them more prone to injury.
Do you have anything you can link? I was a gymnast back in my teen years (nothing spectacular) and can still get pretty close to a full splits, but I also do heavy lifting, and I've always felt like the flexibility is a benefit to almost anything I do. I don't see it as weakening anything, especially not the ligaments.
Here's a couple from the general media. You can dig up the sources if you want more detail:
well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/03/reasons-not-to-stretch/
theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/08/stretching-before-exercise-is-overrated/376089/0 -
I think it's important, but I guess it depends on what you're trying to achieve. For my fitness goals, I need to have good flexibility. So I stretch post-workout bc the muscles are already warm and I've been told that you're less likely to strain something if your stretch a muscle warm.0
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I've never seen a lion with a desk job, but humans who do often benefit from limbering up before exercising. Some people even benefit from certain static stretches. For example:
- many women have tight muscles on the inside of one thigh, due to sitting with crossed legs. This cause the leg to veer inward ('adduct") on lunges, squats, etc. Stretching the adductor muscles can fix that.
- tight upper trapezius (common) can cause the shoulders to rise on rowing exercises. Stretching the traps can make a noticeable improvement in form, with no risk of injury.
- overpronating tightens the peroneal muscles of the outer leg, which in turn encourages overpronation. Stretching the peroneals before running can reduce that.
The studies that say not to stretch involved randomly chosen stretches, not targeted stretching of overly tight areas. Indiscriminate stretching isn't a good idea before exercise. If you aren't sure if a muscle is overly tight and needs stretching, leave it alone.
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feisty_bucket wrote: »I don't stretch any more at all and don't injure myself. If something is feeling twingy, I chill and let it go. Maybe my angle was a little funny or whatever. Next time, it's always better.
There's a buncha articles out there suggesting stretching weakens things and makes them more prone to injury.
Do you have anything you can link? I was a gymnast back in my teen years (nothing spectacular) and can still get pretty close to a full splits, but I also do heavy lifting, and I've always felt like the flexibility is a benefit to almost anything I do. I don't see it as weakening anything, especially not the ligaments.
Here's one from PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19057408
My usual routine is to do 5-10 minutes on a stationary bike before the workout, then the only stretching I do is a couple of light warm-up sets for the specific movement.0 -
Me personally, I found that stretching increased my ROM significantly for muscles that were obviously tight and did nothing for muscles that seemed to have full ROM. Going from being 3-4" short of touching my toes to being able to reach 2-3" past my toes after spending a little bit of time warming up and stretching. I did that by stretching each hamstring 30 seconds 3x/week after working out. Other people have documented similar results doing the same thing.
Does it prevent injuries? For me, yes, but only because I was previously unable perform the movements correctly when full ROM was required. My tight hamstrings were causing me to round my back which led to injuries. However, I see no benefit from stretching my biceps, as they have full ROM.
So, I don't do static stretches before exercising unless my hamstrings feel particularly tight (since I know they are a problem area). I typically just do dynamic warm ups with the moves I'm about to perform only at a much lower intensity (so body weight squats and then warm up weights if I'm going to barbell squat). After exercising I tend to do a decent amount of stretching focusing on the tight muscles.
If I've lost any maximal strength due to stretching the added flexibility far outweighed the loss.0 -
I stretch. Dynamic and static. I'm not a flexible person, never have been. If I don't stretch I get even tighter since I like to lift.
It seems that the pendulum has swung on stretching (there seems to be a big push against static stretching now). I'm not sure how wise that is really, but whatever.
I'm going to keep on stretching, dynamic and static, not because I think it will limit my injury risk or reduce soreness but because I want to increase my mobility.0 -
Stretching ISN'T necessary for fitness unless lack of flexibility reduces you from completing a decent ROM.
Personally I'll do dynamic stretching before a workout and some static stretching if I feel like it after.
Stretching DOES NOT "shape" muscles. One of the biggest myths of yoga is that it builds LONG LEAN MUSCLE. Muscles are attached to their points on bone from when you were born. You can't lengthen them unless you detach them from bone. And yoga ain't doing that. Muscle is always built "lean". It's reduction of fat that makes one look leaner.
And DOMS is from exercise that the muscle wasn't accustomed to. Stretching muscle doesn't help it recover faster. It MAY help one feel better from DOMS because stretching is and exercise and just getting physical movement will increase blood flow to the area increasing warmth.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Agree with all of this.
I will comment on the point about lack of flexibility and complete range of motion. Due to the lifestyles of many of us (sitting at office jobs on a computer and in cars for 8-12 hours a day) iPhone hunched posture, etc many people don't have a complete range of motion and some flexibility/mobility work is needed.0 -
I say... if you are sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day... you might want to have a look at someone who has been doing that for the last 40 years and see what NOT stretching has done for them...I have seen some folks that have absolutely all but crippled themselves from their inattention to their ergonomics... do with that information what you chose0
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