Stretching...is this a do or don't??

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2

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  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Ok.. what's a foam roller do? How do you use it? What's it's purpose? What's the benefits? Pre cardio? Pre lifting? or Post? both or only for one?

    google up self myo-fascial release.

    it's essentially deep tissue massage.

    Helps break down micro scar tissue- releave tension and "knots"

    Helps with mobility- tension- basic day to day issues.

    Post workout- I would NEVER EVER EVER roll pre workout- I sometimes hit stuff if I"m having a tight spot- it helps if you are getting a charlie horse or something.

    Look it up- it's the best thing since sliced bread.

    edit: it hurts. A LOT. IT Band as noted- holy crap.

    a comercial foam roller is easily purcahsed at a local sporting goods store- or even target

    But you can use PVC pipe- baseball bat, LAX ball, Baseball Wine bottle-

    if you are brave enough
  • JONZ64
    JONZ64 Posts: 1,280 Member
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    Ok.. what's a foam roller do? How do you use it? What's it's purpose? What's the benefits? Pre cardio? Pre lifting? or Post? both or only for one?

    google up self myo-fascial release.

    it's essentially deep tissue massage.

    Helps break down micro scar tissue- releave tension and "knots"

    Helps with mobility- tension- basic day to day issues.

    Post workout- I would NEVER EVER EVER roll pre workout- I sometimes hit stuff if I"m having a tight spot- it helps if you are getting a charlie horse or something.

    Look it up- it's the best thing since sliced bread.

    edit: it hurts. A LOT. IT Band as noted- holy crap.

    a comercial foam roller is easily purcahsed at a local sporting goods store- or even target

    But you can use PVC pipe- baseball bat, LAX ball, Baseball Wine bottle-

    if you are brave enough

    It is incredible BUT when you hear FOAM, you think "Hmmm foam, cloud, soft cuddly, YOU ARE WRONG!!:laugh:
  • delicious_cocktail
    delicious_cocktail Posts: 5,797 Member
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    But you can use PVC pipe- baseball bat, LAX ball, Baseball Wine bottle-

    if you are brave enough

    Having the sense of humor of a 12 year old boy sucks, sometimes. Giggity.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Actually static stretching prior to cardio is really....really frowned upon, and many sports teams don't perform static stretching prior to competition. Dynamic stretching and plyometric warmups.

    This!
    Static stretching of cold muscles in the middle of a wet, frozen rugby pitch was what people did in the 1970's!

    My hamstrings are shuddering with the memories......
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Options
    But you can use PVC pipe- baseball bat, LAX ball, Baseball Wine bottle-

    if you are brave enough

    Having the sense of humor of a 12 year old boy sucks, sometimes. Giggity.

    LOL thank you for picking that one up- and no- it doesn't suck ;) wink wink nudge nudge.... I'm a 16 year old little boy trapped in a 30 year old woman's body- talk about weird.
  • lawlorka
    lawlorka Posts: 484 Member
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    I never stretch before exercise - Cardio or Lifting.

    I just do a 5min warm up on either the treadmill or the bike depending on what I'm doing that day.

    I always stretch after though because I noticed just how much more sore I was the day after if I forgot to stretch!!!!!
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,210 Member
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    It's pointless to compare high school athletes who have no tight muscles to adults with desk jobs who frequently do have tight muscles. Static stretching IS sometimes appropriate before exercise, and this page explains when & how:

    To stretch or not to stretch before exercise?
    http://www.freewebs.com/fitbest/stretching.htm

    What's a cold muscle? Body temperature is about 100 degrees. That's pretty darn warm!
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    It's pointless to compare high school athletes who have no tight muscles to adults with desk jobs who frequently do have tight muscles. Static stretching IS sometimes appropriate before exercise, and this page explains when & how:

    To stretch or not to stretch before exercise?
    http://www.freewebs.com/fitbest/stretching.htm

    What's a cold muscle? Body temperature is about 100 degrees. That's pretty darn warm!

    Sorry, static stretching is still not advised. Even your link indicates warming up.

    Who's comparing HS athletes to adults with desk jobs. It is indicating trainers at all levels don't advise static stretching prior to exercise.
  • kr1stadee
    kr1stadee Posts: 1,774 Member
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    Warmup - Stretch - Workout - Stretch

    That's how I do it anyway ... like another poster said, don't stretch cold muscles, ALWAYS do a warmup (jog, jacks, jumprope). Stretching prevents injury!

    That depends upon what type of stretching you're talking about. Dynamic stretching prior can, but if you perform static stretching before a workout (warm or not) it can actually heighten the chance of injury. From my experience, dynamic stretching is most commonly recommended prior to exercise. From High School through College, and beyond I've never had a strength and conditioning trainer put us through static stretches prior to competition. Dynamic Stretches/Plyos.

    ^^ this guy, right here!! :drinker:
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    Options
    Ok.. what's a foam roller do? How do you use it? What's it's purpose? What's the benefits? Pre cardio? Pre lifting? or Post? both or only for one?

    google up self myo-fascial release.

    it's essentially deep tissue massage.

    Helps break down micro scar tissue- releave tension and "knots"

    Helps with mobility- tension- basic day to day issues.

    Post workout- I would NEVER EVER EVER roll pre workout- I sometimes hit stuff if I"m having a tight spot- it helps if you are getting a charlie horse or something.

    Look it up- it's the best thing since sliced bread.

    edit: it hurts. A LOT. IT Band as noted- holy crap.

    a commercial foam roller is easily purchased at a local sporting goods store- or even target

    But you can use PVC pipe- baseball bat, LAX ball, Baseball Wine bottle-

    if you are brave enough

    Thank you.. i hit my legs sometime.. they hurt after a long cardio session.. Esp during combat or insanity. They have them at my gym... maybe i will try it. Might help get rid of shin splints I've been getting.
  • delicious_cocktail
    delicious_cocktail Posts: 5,797 Member
    Options
    But you can use PVC pipe- baseball bat, LAX ball, Baseball Wine bottle-

    if you are brave enough

    Having the sense of humor of a 12 year old boy sucks, sometimes. Giggity.

    LOL thank you for picking that one up- and no- it doesn't suck ;) wink wink nudge nudge.... I'm a 16 year old little boy trapped in a 30 year old woman's body- talk about weird.

    When I was a sixteen year old boy, I would've given an arm and leg to be trapped in a 30 year old woman's body.


    LUCKY!
  • Hestion
    Hestion Posts: 740 Member
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    I stretch all the time and practically live on my foam roller. Honestly I don't think it's one of those things for which there is a hard and fast rule... do what feels good to you!


    I Love/Hate my Foam roller; Foam is Sooooo misleading:laugh: but I do a warm up light stretch, then stretch after. The foam roller really helps with my legs after running and I have fusion at L5-S1 and it is a great help there too

    They should be called torture rollers lol!

    I warmup and do some dynamic stretches, but i do static stretch hip flexors, after injury to hip flexor I've found this to be best, i workout then stretch properly, and use the foam roller.
  • steve_mfp
    steve_mfp Posts: 170 Member
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    Sports Medicine site that talks about the benefits of dynamic stretching and has some basic routines. Ideally you will want to do routines to the specific muscle groups you will be using. I do a general all body routine after 10 minutes on the treadmill and then do some specific dynamic stretches for what body parts i'm going to work that day.

    After my workout i will do a cool down, then some static stretching. I usually do not have time to hit the torture tool...errr foam roller till it gets near time to hit the rack.

    http://www.therapeuticassociates.com/education/sports-medicine/

    They also have info on static stretching and foam rolling with examples.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Options
    I stretch all the time and practically live on my foam roller. Honestly I don't think it's one of those things for which there is a hard and fast rule... do what feels good to you!


    I Love/Hate my Foam roller; Foam is Sooooo misleading:laugh: but I do a warm up light stretch, then stretch after. The foam roller really helps with my legs after running and I have fusion at L5-S1 and it is a great help there too

    They should be called torture rollers lol!

    I warmup and do some dynamic stretches, but i do static stretch hip flexors, after injury to hip flexor I've found this to be best, i workout then stretch properly, and use the foam roller.

    mine has my name on it on one end- and says THE DESTROYER on the other.

    Mine makes me cry. sad panda face. well not cry- but it's shameful. I need to roll more.
    When I was a sixteen year old boy, I would've given an arm and leg to be trapped in a 30 year old woman's body.


    LUCKY!
    Chuckle.

    I'm wildly misunderstood- but the dirty teen in me likes it for sure.. everyone in my office- not so much.
  • Hestion
    Hestion Posts: 740 Member
    Options
    I stretch all the time and practically live on my foam roller. Honestly I don't think it's one of those things for which there is a hard and fast rule... do what feels good to you!


    I Love/Hate my Foam roller; Foam is Sooooo misleading:laugh: but I do a warm up light stretch, then stretch after. The foam roller really helps with my legs after running and I have fusion at L5-S1 and it is a great help there too

    They should be called torture rollers lol!

    I warmup and do some dynamic stretches, but i do static stretch hip flexors, after injury to hip flexor I've found this to be best, i workout then stretch properly, and use the foam roller.

    mine has my name on it on one end- and says THE DESTROYER on the other.

    Mine makes me cry. sad panda face. well not cry- but it's shameful. I need to roll more.
    When I was a sixteen year old boy, I would've given an arm and leg to be trapped in a 30 year old woman's body.


    LUCKY!
    Chuckle.

    I'm wildly misunderstood- but the dirty teen in me likes it for sure.. everyone in my office- not so much.

    I love the naming of it :-) I'm not a fan of powerplates, but I've really noticed a difference with stretching on one, but i don't like working out with it.
  • amy_young_doingit
    amy_young_doingit Posts: 11 Member
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    Thanks everyone for the advice! I got alot of good information.
  • JONZ64
    JONZ64 Posts: 1,280 Member
    Options
    I stretch all the time and practically live on my foam roller. Honestly I don't think it's one of those things for which there is a hard and fast rule... do what feels good to you!


    I Love/Hate my Foam roller; Foam is Sooooo misleading:laugh: but I do a warm up light stretch, then stretch after. The foam roller really helps with my legs after running and I have fusion at L5-S1 and it is a great help there too

    They should be called torture rollers lol!

    I warmup and do some dynamic stretches, but i do static stretch hip flexors, after injury to hip flexor I've found this to be best, i workout then stretch properly, and use the foam roller.

    mine has my name on it on one end- and says THE DESTROYER on the other.

    Mine makes me cry. sad panda face. well not cry- but it's shameful. I need to roll more.
    When I was a sixteen year old boy, I would've given an arm and leg to be trapped in a 30 year old woman's body.


    LUCKY!
    Chuckle.

    I'm wildly misunderstood- but the dirty teen in me likes it for sure.. everyone in my office- not so much.

    THE DESTROYER! Love It!
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    Options
    I prefer to stretch post workout, when my muscles are nice and warm. But I'm pretty flexible and am actively working to increase my flexibility--center splits you will be mine!--so it's unlikely I'll pull a muscle doing a normal workout. If you are particularly tight and the movements you'll be performing are at the limits of your flexibility, I might recommend some light stretching. Otherwise I'd skip it.

    Please, please always stretch after working out. People don't stretch nearly enough. Especially those hip flexors if you sit at desk!
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,210 Member
    Options
    It's pointless to compare high school athletes who have no tight muscles to adults with desk jobs who frequently do have tight muscles. Static stretching IS sometimes appropriate before exercise, and this page explains when & how:

    To stretch or not to stretch before exercise?
    http://www.freewebs.com/fitbest/stretching.htm

    What's a cold muscle? Body temperature is about 100 degrees. That's pretty darn warm!

    Sorry, static stretching is still not advised. Even your link indicates warming up.

    Who's comparing HS athletes to adults with desk jobs. It is indicating trainers at all levels don't advise static stretching prior to exercise.

    You said your trainer in high school didn't have you static stretch prior to competition. The OP, on the other hand, is a 32 year old non-athlete who is about 20 lbs overweight, and, stastically speaking, probably has a relatively sedenatary lifestyle with lots of sitting. That often tightens certain muscles, which can negatively affect exercise form. Which is why many trainers at all levels recommend doing static corrective stretches prior to exercise, including NASM (National Acadamy of Sports Medicine).

    To see for yourself how effective it can be, try the "Overhead squat assessment" at my link on an out-of-shape, sedentary person that you know. Then have them stretch their overactive muscles for 30 seconds, and repeat the test. Usually there is an instant improvement in form.

    The problem with the "studies" on stretching is they stretch randomly-chosen muscles, not overactive muscles. That's like randomly loosing guitar strings and concluding that loosening strings before playing should never be done.
  • TwelveSticks
    TwelveSticks Posts: 288 Member
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    Warmup - Stretch - Workout - Stretch

    ^^^ This.

    Ignore those that are giving advice based on the assumption that you are only lifting. Stretching is vital before doing cardio - go look at any professional sports team you can imagine before they play a game and note how much stretching they do. It helps prevent injury.

    Light stretching after cardio also helps reduce the chance of stiffness.

    Stretching is less important if all you are doing is lifting, for sure, but I would still do some...

    Actually static stretching prior to cardio is really....really frowned upon, and many sports teams don't perform static stretching prior to competition. Dynamic stretching and plyometric warmups.

    Who mentioned static stretching?

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