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stretching for size.
- Thread starter gixxerman
- Start date
Are you talking about extreme stretching?
Here are some guidelines for extreme stretches from Doggcrapp (training):
Chest
Use dumbbells that are a little over half of what your heaviest set of 6-8 reps would be. On a flat bench, with your chest high and lungs full of air, drop down into the deepest fly you can for the first 10 seconds or so, keeping the dumbells close to your body so you feel the stretch in your chest - NOT your shoulders! Staying in this position, arch your back slightly and try to press your sternum upward. The rest of the 60 seconds, try to concentrate on dropping your elbows farther and farther down (the last 15 seconds are excruciating).
Shoulders
This one is tough to describe. Put a barbell in squat rack shoulder height (or use a smith machine). Face away from it and reach back and grab it palms up (hands on bottom of bar). Walk yourself outward until you are on your heels and the stretch gets painful, then roll your shoulders downward and hold for 60 seconds.
Triceps
Seated on a flat bench with your back up against the barbell, take a dumbbell in your hand behind your head (like in an overhead dumbbell extension). Sink the dumbbell down into position for the first 10 seconds and then an agonizing 50 seconds slightly leaning back and pushing the dumbbell down with the back of your head.
Back
I'll quote DC directly on this one: "Honestly for about 3 years my training partner and I would hang a 100lb dumbbell from our waist and hung on the widest chinup bar (with wrist straps) to see who could get closest to 3 minutes--I never made it--I think 2 minutes 27 seconds was my record--but my back width is by far my best body part--I pull on a doorknob or stationary equipment with a rounded back now and it’s way too hard too explain here--just try it and get your feel for it."
Biceps
Just like the position for the shoulder stretch, but hold barbell palms down now (hands on top of bar). Now, either sink down with one leg forward/one leg back or better yet squat down and try (I say try because its absolutely excruciating) to kneel. Go down to the stretch that is almost unbearable and then hold that for 45 to 60 seconds. Your own bodyweight is the load. Put the bar at a place on the squat rack in which you can kneel at a severe stretch and then try to sink your ass down to touch your feet. If its too easy, put the bar up to the next rung.
Hamstrings
Leg up on a high barbell holding your toe and trying to force your leg straight with your free hand for a very painful 60 seconds.
Quads
Facing a barbell in a power rack about hip high, grip it and simultaneously sink down and throw your knees under the barbell and do a sissy squat underneath it while going up on your toes. Then, straighten your arms and lean as far back as you can. 60 seconds and if this one doesn't bring tears to your eyes nothing will. Do this one faithfully and see in 4 weeks if your quads don’t look a lot different than they used to.
Calves
This is straight from Dante too: "My weak body part that I couldn’t get up too par until 2 years ago when I finally thought it out and figured out how to make them grow (with only one set twice a week too). I don’t need to stretch calves after because when I do calves I explode on the positive and take 5 seconds to get back to full stretch and then 15 seconds at the very bottom "one one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand etc" --15 seconds stretching at the bottom thinking and trying to flex my toes toward my shin--it is absolutely unbearable and you will most likely be shaking and wan to give up at about 7 reps (I always go for 12reps with maximum weights)--do this on a hack squat or a leg press--my calves have finally taken off due to this and caught up to the rest of me thank God."
Here are all the stretches in a collage:
http://server6.theimagehosting.com/i...tretches66.jpg
Here are all the stretches in a slideshow:
http://img396.imageshack.us/slidesho...465404m2r.smil
Chest
Use dumbbells that are a little over half of what your heaviest set of 6-8 reps would be. On a flat bench, with your chest high and lungs full of air, drop down into the deepest fly you can for the first 10 seconds or so, keeping the dumbells close to your body so you feel the stretch in your chest - NOT your shoulders! Staying in this position, arch your back slightly and try to press your sternum upward. The rest of the 60 seconds, try to concentrate on dropping your elbows farther and farther down (the last 15 seconds are excruciating).
Shoulders
This one is tough to describe. Put a barbell in squat rack shoulder height (or use a smith machine). Face away from it and reach back and grab it palms up (hands on bottom of bar). Walk yourself outward until you are on your heels and the stretch gets painful, then roll your shoulders downward and hold for 60 seconds.
Triceps
Seated on a flat bench with your back up against the barbell, take a dumbbell in your hand behind your head (like in an overhead dumbbell extension). Sink the dumbbell down into position for the first 10 seconds and then an agonizing 50 seconds slightly leaning back and pushing the dumbbell down with the back of your head.
Back
I'll quote DC directly on this one: "Honestly for about 3 years my training partner and I would hang a 100lb dumbbell from our waist and hung on the widest chinup bar (with wrist straps) to see who could get closest to 3 minutes--I never made it--I think 2 minutes 27 seconds was my record--but my back width is by far my best body part--I pull on a doorknob or stationary equipment with a rounded back now and it’s way too hard too explain here--just try it and get your feel for it."
Biceps
Just like the position for the shoulder stretch, but hold barbell palms down now (hands on top of bar). Now, either sink down with one leg forward/one leg back or better yet squat down and try (I say try because its absolutely excruciating) to kneel. Go down to the stretch that is almost unbearable and then hold that for 45 to 60 seconds. Your own bodyweight is the load. Put the bar at a place on the squat rack in which you can kneel at a severe stretch and then try to sink your ass down to touch your feet. If its too easy, put the bar up to the next rung.
Hamstrings
Leg up on a high barbell holding your toe and trying to force your leg straight with your free hand for a very painful 60 seconds.
Quads
Facing a barbell in a power rack about hip high, grip it and simultaneously sink down and throw your knees under the barbell and do a sissy squat underneath it while going up on your toes. Then, straighten your arms and lean as far back as you can. 60 seconds and if this one doesn't bring tears to your eyes nothing will. Do this one faithfully and see in 4 weeks if your quads don’t look a lot different than they used to.
Calves
This is straight from Dante too: "My weak body part that I couldn’t get up too par until 2 years ago when I finally thought it out and figured out how to make them grow (with only one set twice a week too). I don’t need to stretch calves after because when I do calves I explode on the positive and take 5 seconds to get back to full stretch and then 15 seconds at the very bottom "one one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand etc" --15 seconds stretching at the bottom thinking and trying to flex my toes toward my shin--it is absolutely unbearable and you will most likely be shaking and wan to give up at about 7 reps (I always go for 12reps with maximum weights)--do this on a hack squat or a leg press--my calves have finally taken off due to this and caught up to the rest of me thank God."
Here are all the stretches in a collage:
http://server6.theimagehosting.com/i...tretches66.jpg
Here are all the stretches in a slideshow:
http://img396.imageshack.us/slidesho...465404m2r.smil
Do these stretches only after you've trained that body part. For example...Do all your chest work then do the chest stretch. Try to get 60 seconds, but you will probably get around 30-45 seconds to begin with.
You want the targeted muscles to be pumped full of blood when doing these.
B
Big_BK
Guest
Do you get deep tissue massages?
if you can afford it, the massage is better. the massage will evenly stretch the fascia but the weighted stretches will stretch the most in the center and decrease as you get to the outer edges. pardon all of my shitty spelling im in a hurry
B
Big_BK
Guest
My point exactly. You gotta make sure you find a good massage therapist though, you should have bruises the next day from a deep tissue or feel extremely sore like you just had the workout of your life.
cobracock1979
Member
very effective.
I stole that post from SL in another post in the weightlifting forums and I do them after every workout.
Sometimes, if I've had a very heavy set of shoulders or chest, I do some extreme stretching in between sets as well...just for 15 secs though.
you stole it from him and he stole it from me...which is why the links don't work, because he copied the whole thing. I've made the post here a few times. Last time I posted it was in your bodybuilding routines thread alc.
Oh, and I stole it from DoggCrapp, off another forum (but at least I gave credit).
you stole it from him and he stole it from me...which is why the links don't work, because he copied the whole thing. I've made the post here a few times. Last time I posted it was in your bodybuilding routines thread alc.
Oh, and I stole it from DoggCrapp, off another forum (but at least I gave credit).
I might just steall this post too
desmond
New member
Anyone doing the DC stretches here and notice that their muscles feel like they are stinging a lot of the time? It's only happening for upper body. I've been doing the stretches for 3 weeks. Personally, I don't think its helping recovery at all (as for muscle growth or definitoin - I can't determine that yet).
Everything has recovered by the time of the next workout, but I'm kinda sick of having to sleep while in pain lol
I'm gonig to continue it for 2 months regardless
Everything has recovered by the time of the next workout, but I'm kinda sick of having to sleep while in pain lol
I'm gonig to continue it for 2 months regardless
I notice if you're doing them right, they hurt like hell while you're doing them. The pain should be in the muscle ONLY, not joints. After that? No. I don't have any pain. I may be sore from teh workout the next day or two, but if I don't do my extreme stretches, I am WAY more sore. They definitely help my recovery. I have heard the same from many others as well.
i think it might be helpfull to you if you use a little less weight/resistance in the stretches.
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