Stretching Dismissed ?

[Merrida]

Originally Posted by bodyshop20

I only used to stretch when i was about to train in Karate.
Before doing iron i will warm up as a cold muscle will be at danger to injury.
Sometimes after a good workout and im pumped up i will stretch between sets.

True, true, but there's also a lot of cardio warm up (generally) with martial arts. Plus, at least with the forms of martial arts I am aware of, you are constantly stretching because of the ballistic and dynamic movements you're doing (as one muscle contracts, the antagonistic stretches), and in power moves like martial arts, the reactivity response is high. That makes the stretching different than comparing it to before weight lifting. Martial arts is almost like you're always working on cardiovascular conditioning, strength, explosive power, and dynamic stretching, throughout the entire session. Very comprehensive.

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[Gooseneck]

Originally Posted by EliteLift

Static stretching to hard before a workout will not only hinder your max strength output for your folowing workout, but can also damage soft tissue. I remember during my prime gymnastics years my coaches would never want us to consider stretching until we were warmed up without any doubt.

I find preforming light compound exercises with an exagerated ROM warms my muscles quite nicly. Example: If i were planning a heavy chest day I might first do a set of light Dips with as much ROM as I can saftly handle followed by none static stretching on the same muscle groups before moveing onto heavy benching.

Now for post workout.. just think about how you muscle reacted to the workout, they will be warm with increased bloodflow, but also holding a much tighter posture, this is because you have temporarly damaged them with the exercise you just did. So by staticly stretching the muscle now you will be improving your recovery time, maintaining/increaseing ROM, and removing by-products/waist caused by working out, and their is much less risk for injury.

I also find I am more flexible post workout.

but as long as you guys are not getting hurt and you find it helps then best of luck!

I agree entirely.

I also believe that most professional athletes incorporate a stretching routine with their warm-ups prior to a practice or match. I know in the 11 years I played soccer, stretching was the first thing we did as well as the last thing sometimes.

[EliteLift]

Originally Posted by Gooseneck

I agree entirely.

I also believe that most professional athletes incorporate a stretching routine with their warm-ups prior to a practice or match. I know in the 11 years I played soccer, stretching was the first thing we did as well as the last thing sometimes.

When I was doing gymnastics competitively my the class would always warmup, stretch, practice are routines, do bodywieght conditioning, folowed by a final stretch.

considering the nature of gymnastics and the fact that are conditioning was normally only bodywieght stuff that related to skills being preformed in competition, I think stretching before was fine. when I go to the gym I work with a lot more weight than my gymnastics conditioning.

I guess what I am trying to say is I agree with you that with most sports stretching before has its benefits, but wieghtlifting is different than other sports due to the amount of wieght generally being used making stretching pre workout possibly dangerous.

[etothepii]

I always do a warm-up routine and dynamic stretching before lifting. I've read that sustained stretching, like the old 20-count toe touches and such are bad for cold muscles, and weaken the muscle in the short-term (when you're lifting, your muscle should be at its strongest, IMO). So if I do any of that kind of stretching, I wait until after I lift.

[westside24]

Originally Posted by .V.

I don't stretch before any workout. But for running I do it after a full warmup. And I do it after weights EVERY TIME. If not...I can't move the next day.

Damn, speaking of running...I'm fat enough now.

Ditto! I dont do squats and deads on the same day, caz then I really cant move even if I do stretch afterwards. I member the very 1st time I did calf raises... I did them on a tuesday. and wednesday evening I start feeling a little soreness, Thursday morning I woke up stood out of bed and fell to the floor litterally, my calves where locked in a Toes-Pointed-Down Position, I couldnt stretch the for days and I was walking around like the notre dame fighting Irish Guy. not a joke, I had to call off thursday and friday and I still hadnt fully recovered until well into the next week. and It was magnified by my ass and quads and hams in super pain too! <---good story huh?

[thonaker]

I'm like V, I stretch little to none before I work out. I don't think you would want to have your joints too loose just before tossing around heavy weights.

But I do warm up my muscles and joints with some light cardio just before I work out. And I many times include a warm up set, on the exercise I'm doing, before I attack the heavy weight.

Any stretching I happen to do before I lift is brief or out of an old habit.

I do a full body stretch routine immediately following my workout, however.

Troy