Stretching

SaltNBurnBoys
SaltNBurnBoys Posts: 170 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys!

I've read several different comments across a bunch of posts here that say that you shouldn't just stretch. Something about cold muscles vs. warmed muscles? I had never heard this before, and my whole life I've always stretched before doing any physical activity of any kind.

Is that something I need to change?

Replies

  • Bri_Becq
    Bri_Becq Posts: 146 Member
    Bump. Just because I hate stretching. My calves pay the price... -_- I want to know as well...
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Based on what I understand there are two types of stretching..

    Static and dynamic.

    Dynamic stretches should be done prior to exercise as it does help you warm up the muscles. For example prior to weighted squats I warm up. First doing empty bar squats x5, add 50lbs X4, total of 70lbs x3, 90lbsx2, 115x1...then I do my sets.

    Static is when you hold the muscle in a stretch after exercise where it is held for a period of time.

    I do static on an injury and after exercise.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    There are some studies that claim that static stretching can reduce power and strength in the following activity.

    Really, if you're just trying to "warm-up" as it were, then dynamic stretches and drills will get blood into the muscle and connective tissue and stop you twanging something without the possible drawback of hampered performance. I favour activity specific warm-ups. It really depends on you and your chosen activity as to whether any of this makes any difference.

    I personally find that if I skip static stretching after training, then I pay for it. That could be highly individual.
  • cantfail
    cantfail Posts: 169 Member
    Static stretching is best for warm muscles. Think of your muscles as being like taffy. If you try to stretch cool taffy, it isn't very effective. If you stretch warm taffy it works much better. Also, there is a little thing in your tendons called the golgi organ. It is what gets the message from the brain to tell the muscle to release and lengthen. That signal takes about 20 seconds. So static stretches held for less than 20 second (30 is better) may feel good, but don't really lengthen the muscle.

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