Does anyone else stretch or is it just me? I don't do it religiously every workout but often do a short series of dynamic stretches whilst warming up and a few static stretches about twenty mins after most workouts. I think there are defintely both benefits to recovery and possible gains to stretching - muscle fascia stretching is often regarded as leading to increased growth.

Anyway, posted the following on MP and thought I'd post it here too;

Two good discussion articles on stretching as applied to weight training;

http://www.defrancostraining.com/art...hing-round.htm
http://www.defrancostraining.com/art...ing-round2.htm

I think it can have benefits but you really need to know what you're doing. I always used to stretch and forever picking up niggly injuries. I then read an article about some football coach who took over at Newcaslte UTD as they were getting loads of injuries. He said he'd stopped them doing all this stretching and things improved dramatically...

So I stopped.... and things improved for me

Now this doesn't automatically mean stretching is bad, I just think I was probably doing things wrong? Being over zealous? Who knows but I don't really bother anymore, I do some very light dynamic stretches like lunges, etc as part of a warmup but that's it.

I don't stretch to warm up.

However I do stretch after each working set to try and force out any lactic build up and reduce any excessive pump up/tightness which I find to work well.

extreme stretching after each body part....awesome and definately helps

I stretch after each workout (mostly my legs) as I have very tight hamstrings.
I believe stretching is a good way to avoid injuries.

There is definitely research to suggest that stretching before any high-impact or rigorous activity (sports and athletic teams for example) results in inhibition of the normal proprioceptive response from joints. This in turn leads to diminished results.

A recent study has shown that stretching prior to jumping will impair performance.

Researchers from the University of Kassel in Germany investigated the effects of stretching on various jumping performance tests such as the drop jump, counter-movement jump, and squat jump.

Stretching was performed at various intensities prior to the jump tests. Regardless of the type of stretching involved, the data showed that all stretching protocols resulted in a significant decrease in jumping performance. For example, static stretching resulted in a significant decrease in performance in all tests by 5%.

Ref: European Journal of Applied Physiology, Sept, 2007.

I always used to do a lot of stretching when I ran, these days I don't bother unless I feel I need to after a workout. I don't ever seem to pick up any injuries.

Anybody know any good stretches for back? I do dynamic stretches after a 5min warmup before weights but nothing else. My problem is my fcuking bed!

hang from a chinning bar with 30kg ona dipping belt. That will strech your back loads!

stretching before resistance training lowers your muscle strength, so it's best to avoid doing it.

Stretching after however is a good idea; ideally 4-6hrs after. And therein lies the biatch; cos who will remember / has the time etc etc ??

I used to stretch before weights. I haven't in 14months. I feel fine for it. Strength is good, so for me this is ok.

i strech post cardio which i do post weights. I think it helps keep injuries at bay. Streching before is not really something i like to do as i have less aches now then when i streched before

upright wrote:Anybody know any good stretches for back? I do dynamic stretches after a 5min warmup before weights but nothing else. My problem is my fcuking bed!

A good stretch for the rhomboids/mid back is as follows:

Wrap your left arm across your body, under your right armpit and as far around your back as possible........then wrap your right arm around your left shoulder as far as possilbe....then drop your chin to your upper chest and roll your upper torso down (a bit like a crunch) until you feel a stretch in your back.

Repeat for the other side (right arm under left armpit etc).

health4ni wrote:stretching before resistance training lowers your muscle strength, so it's best to avoid doing it.

Stretching after however is a good idea; ideally 4-6hrs after. And therein lies the biatch; cos who will remember / has the time etc etc ??

I used to stretch before weights. I haven't in 14months. I feel fine for it. Strength is good, so for me this is ok.

Scott, is this related to nervous system potentiation? I know Mr P recommends training within this same time period if you're working out twice a day....

tbh mate I'm nto to sure. I have to confess that I'm not an expert by any means on all things stretching. From my courses with Mr P and others, and reading, I've found that stretching is a real complex bugger. So many different ideas about when to do it, how to do it, do it at all etc etc. Until I go on a course that I'm happy to invest time & money in to learn about it properly then I'm not that qualified on it. Suffice to say that I tell my clients not to stretch before any workout with me (unless sprinting), but if they want to stretch after our sessions then they can.

I do know of some stretches to perform that will allow greater range of movement; pecs & rotator cuff for example. Done not to prevent injuries but to get a greater range of movement.

Pah confused.. Osteopath tells me i MUST stretch before lifting weights, but it sounds like its not a good thing to do strength wise.

Is the Osteopath a strength coach? Prob not.

For strength it's bad. For specific issues that you may have, then perhaps it's ok. I don't wanna say don't stretch and you go & hurt yourself.

I personally find exercise related warm-up is key. So, if you are benching today, then do 2-3 warm up bench sets. Makes sense right? Just don't overdo the reps. Stick to say 6-10 reps for 2-3 warm up sets. Lowish weight too. That's my opinion.

I never stretch before exercise but I do shoulder rolls and always pyramid up in weight to protect myself. I also stretch a little between sets, just to get the blood flowing through the whole of the targeted muscle.

simon m wrote:I also stretch a little between sets, just to get the blood flowing through the whole of the targeted muscle.

surely there's blood flowing through already since you've done some reps/sets already?