Importance of stretching ?

[oso0960]

Before i workout, i always do some kind of dynamic/light ballistic stretches which has helped tremendously to stay strong, avoid injury, etc. Because I don't do any other types of stretching, i'm not too flexible. I'm very reluctant to do static stretches even after i workout, because i know they suppress the CNS's ability to recruit motor units, but i don't know if it's just for a couple of hours...or maybe interfere with my next workout. Will becoming flexible hinder my strength?

 

[oso0960]

found an answer to my question:

http://www.wannabebig.com/article.php?articleid=305

 

[coolcolj]

no, it will help, weights will tighten you up over time

 

[GUARDIAN]

do light streching and warm up with some cardio for a couple of minutes as well as some warm up sets prior to your first actual real set. post workout you should do some "heavier" extreme streching.

 

[AEKDB]

no, it will help, weights will tighten you up over time

Not true.

 

[ceo]

do light streching and warm up with some cardio for a couple of minutes as well as some warm up sets prior to your first actual real set. post workout you should do some "heavier" extreme streching.

This is what I do, only I do the cardio first (5-10 minutes on a bike to get warm and get blood flowing. Low intensity by the way, not like some spinning class fast as you can shit. Then I rotate my joints depending on what I'm working (shoulders, elbows, wrists). Then I do some VERY light stretching and go into my warm up sets.

When I am finished with that body part (chest for example) I will immediately do an extreme stretch - weighted if possible. For example on chest I go to a flat bench and grab a couple DB's. I use a weight about 50-70% of max. I lie back on the bench and let the DB's sink down. Keep DB's close to my body so that I'm stretching my chest and not my shoulders. Try to push my sternum as high as I can while sinking DB's low as possible. I hold that for one minute. That is "extreme" fascia stretching.

 

[rogerrockmore]

i have a question, how come i cant feel any muscle pain the day after work out?? should i change my program or should i lift heavier plates?


___________________________
abc fitness includes swimming cardio

 

[ceo]

muscle soreness/pain is not an effective measure of how good your workout was. You should always be lifting heavier. Adding weight to the bar every time you do that exercise again is the only way to measure progression. Progression is what determines how effective your workouts are. You should read the sticky at the top of the forum on training info.

 

[GUARDIAN]

muscle soreness/pain is not an effective measure of how good your workout was. You should always be lifting heavier. Adding weight to the bar every time you do that exercise again is the only way to measure progression. Progression is what determines how effective your workouts are. You should read the sticky at the top of the forum on training info.

+1 or increasing the number of reps with the same weight.

 

[Big_BK]

I ALWAYS do stretching before i workout or i end up pulling something. You can't just jump in and start pounding heavy weights! Usually stretch out my arms first then do my legs a little. My first exercise i usually do 2 warm up sets real light high reps to get blood flowing and more stretching in between to get some blood flowing then i progress into the heavier sets.

 

[chaos13]

if your are going to stretch before your workout, try to keep the lenght of the stretch to under 30 seconds.

 

[djeclipse]

muscle soreness/pain is not an effective measure of how good your workout was. You should always be lifting heavier. Adding weight to the bar every time you do that exercise again is the only way to measure progression. Progression is what determines how effective your workouts are. You should read the sticky at the top of the forum on training info.

+1 also.

How sore you are the next day has absolutely no bearing on how effective your previous days w/o was. It simply means your muscles aren't conditioned to the work you have given them.

 

[dabuffguy]

do light streching and warm up with some cardio for a couple of minutes as well as some warm up sets prior to your first actual real set. post workout you should do some "heavier" extreme streching.

I was a baseball pitcher in the minors until I F'ed my elbow.

What 8and20 said right here is exactly what you need to do. Do some light stretching and warm up before you actually do a workout. After the workout and you are no longer pumped, stretch your muscles for 20 minutes. It will help you stay flexible, avoid injuries. It even help increase endurance and recovery time, however minimal it may be.

 

[Sim882]

I have never found any benefit of stretching. Also certain weights motions if done with large range of motion if anything increase flexibility (squats, flys, SLDL).

For example SLDL basically require you to touch your toes, and provide an excellent hamstring stretch

 

[timtim]

I have never found any benefit of stretching. Also certain weights motions if done with large range of motion if anything increase flexibility (squats, flys, SLDL).

For example SLDL basically require you to touch your toes, and provide an excellent hamstring stretch

muscle activation is occuring throughout the movement so no stretching (as you think) is occurring.

 

[timtim]

This is what I do, only I do the cardio first (5-10 minutes on a bike to get warm and get blood flowing. Low intensity by the way, not like some spinning class fast as you can shit. Then I rotate my joints depending on what I'm working (shoulders, elbows, wrists). Then I do some VERY light stretching and go into my warm up sets.

When I am finished with that body part (chest for example) I will immediately do an extreme stretch - weighted if possible. For example on chest I go to a flat bench and grab a couple DB's. I use a weight about 50-70% of max. I lie back on the bench and let the DB's sink down. Keep DB's close to my body so that I'm stretching my chest and not my shoulders. Try to push my sternum as high as I can while sinking DB's low as possible. I hold that for one minute. That is "extreme" fascia stretching.

i do this but alittle different. do the doorway stretch for pecs (less chance of injury but still painful) followed immediately with a most muscular pose for 1 minute. do this for all muscle groups but legs. obviously for back its a lat flare flex, shoulders flex, etc. been working nicely.