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Warm up- stretching or no?
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LucSulla
New member
I always spend at least 5 - 10 minutes on a bike followed by another ten minutes of stretching as per the whole "warm taffy stretches, cold taffy breaks" analogy. The only time I've ever hurt myself in a gym is when I:
A. Didn't warm up properly (though this was usually just a minor strain or something similar that is just a couple of days or irritation) or
B. Decided I was stronger than what my work out plan for the week called for and decided to go outside of my book. That was the worst mistake I ever made.
A. Didn't warm up properly (though this was usually just a minor strain or something similar that is just a couple of days or irritation) or
B. Decided I was stronger than what my work out plan for the week called for and decided to go outside of my book. That was the worst mistake I ever made.
warm up before and get things loosened up.. but don't do deep stretching before whether you are lifting or running.
stretch after.
football players stretch before and they are always pulling muscles... 'but steve then why do they stretch?' they stretch cause they are getting bent in awkward directions, so if they don't stretch they run a higher chance of tearing ligaments, tendons, and muscles. unless you are gonna bent around like that then its not a good idea to stretch beforehand unless its very very light stretching.. wait till you are finished then stretch away.
stretch after.
football players stretch before and they are always pulling muscles... 'but steve then why do they stretch?' they stretch cause they are getting bent in awkward directions, so if they don't stretch they run a higher chance of tearing ligaments, tendons, and muscles. unless you are gonna bent around like that then its not a good idea to stretch beforehand unless its very very light stretching.. wait till you are finished then stretch away.
renagade860
New member
Without proper warm up and stretch you will not be able to get much range of motion
this just isn't true.. you build flexibility over time, not in the 5 minutes before you work out.and you know what? when you stretch before you actually DAMAGE your range of motion as the muscle will tense up. all you are accomplishing stretching before is stretching out the muscle which increases the chances of pulling it and also making it weaker. go to a powerlifting competition and see how they prepare before hand.. they warmup with lighter weights, they definately do not stretch.. go to a road race and see how they prepare, they do a light jog... they do not engage in stretching till AFTER.
here is a good article explaining more in depth
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36553174/ns/health-fitness/t/want-better-workout-dont-stretch/
most lifters/bodybuilders have atrocious flexibility btw, so i can understand the need to stretch before cause they think they are doing a good deed for themselves but they aren't. wait till after
we grew up being told in PE to stretch before blah blah blah.. but this is 2012, not 1985. we have come a long way with understanding more about the body.
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jiggagold
Well-known member
FOAM ROLL. YOU CREATE RANGE OF MOTION THROUGH MOBILITY EXERCISES, NOT JUST STATIC STRETCHING. BEFORE YOU START TRAINING YOU NEED TO WAKE UP YOUR CNS.
Cressey Performance Foam Roller Series - YouTube
Cressey Performance Foam Roller Series - YouTube
jiggagold
Well-known member
And Steve I'd use better fitness outlets for information than msnbc if I'm posting articles. Their information is too generalized and still covers the same facets of outdated information.
Here is a good article covering an effective warm up
http://www.ericcressey.com/6-characteristics-good-dynamic-warm-up
Here is a good article covering an effective warm up
http://www.ericcressey.com/6-characteristics-good-dynamic-warm-up
the OP is asking specifically about stretching before a weightlifting session and the article covered that, your article is the one that is too generalized.. the guys in the pics don't even look like they ever lifted weights in their life!! they look like those guys you see in the gym once every 2 weeks and bench 200 pounds or some other panzy weight.
why would you stretch and tighten up your muscles before a weightlifing session? or a run? give me a legitimate explanation..
makes absolutely zero sense. and that myth has been de-bunked for years now. so YOUR information is the one that is outdated. in fact when i was doing triathlons there was a trend i was seeing.. the guys 60+ were stretching before, the other guys were not. that tells you which idea is outdated.
runners and weightlifters stretch AFTER, not before.. go to a road race or a weightlifting competition and then come back on here and tell me i'm wrong. I know cause I competed in BOTH. we warm up the muscles with light weights or a light jog. football players and any sport where you are getting bent around should stretch before and warmup, i am not disagreeing on that.. thats probably what your article is geared towards. the OP is asking specifically about weightlifting though which is what we should stick to here.
do not de-bunk other peoples information unless you are absolutely sure you are accurate, that kind of stuff will get people hurt. i bench 330 and i squat 475.. you think i am gonna risk injury doing that much weight by tightening up my muscles beforehand? hell no. if you are doing light weights or running around doing crossfit type workouts then go ahead and stretch, I don't think its gonna make a lick of difference.. but on this forum lets stick to WEIGHTLIFTING information please!
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/w...ng/why-pre-workout-stretching-bad-686695.html << check this out
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Yea you gotta do the static stretches after, dynamic stretches and warm ups before. Foam rolling is awesome too I hear
^^^ bodybuilding is different than baseball.
you don't stretch before lifting period.. that isn't outdated.. i'm not gonna argue this with you further cause I think you are just trolling but you could seriously hurt a newb getting into lifting with that advice.
yes i did look at your link and it had nothing to do with bodybuilding or lifting.. again professional sports is not the same as lifting.. this forum is about weightlifting. you don't like my link then fine, there are hundreds more if you google stretching before lifting. and the worst reason of all not to stretch before lifting is it will weaken your muscle, expect to lose 5-10 pounds off your lifts if you stretch. thats a big deal to lifters who are trying to push themselves in the gym and break PR's.
you don't stretch before lifting period.. that isn't outdated.. i'm not gonna argue this with you further cause I think you are just trolling but you could seriously hurt a newb getting into lifting with that advice.
yes i did look at your link and it had nothing to do with bodybuilding or lifting.. again professional sports is not the same as lifting.. this forum is about weightlifting. you don't like my link then fine, there are hundreds more if you google stretching before lifting. and the worst reason of all not to stretch before lifting is it will weaken your muscle, expect to lose 5-10 pounds off your lifts if you stretch. thats a big deal to lifters who are trying to push themselves in the gym and break PR's.
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jiggagold
Well-known member
you obviously have never taken an exercise physiology or kinesiology class, its called myofascial release and dynamic stretching. Nothing about static stretching, is mentioned. Why not have more mobility in your body so you can power your posterior chain to work more efficiently and move heavier loads. This is a weight training and lifting forum he said nothing about bodybuilding either. I'm not aruging about static stretching because I never stretch before a workout or any lifts. I do hip flexor mobs/stretches and pfromis streches during sets of heavy deadlifting days bcuz my hips have a history of tightening between sets.
What is outdated is running on the treadmill for 5 mintues, that is counter productive espeically if youre trying to lift for strength and power. Sure you may sweat, but youll lose power output and shotern your hip flexors and reduce mobilty especially before a heavy squat/deadlift day if youre running or doing the elliptical for 5+minutes. The goal is to lengthen the muscles and allow them to work in their natural range of motion and symmetry.
What is outdated is running on the treadmill for 5 mintues, that is counter productive espeically if youre trying to lift for strength and power. Sure you may sweat, but youll lose power output and shotern your hip flexors and reduce mobilty especially before a heavy squat/deadlift day if youre running or doing the elliptical for 5+minutes. The goal is to lengthen the muscles and allow them to work in their natural range of motion and symmetry.
^^ i don't take classes i'm too old for this shit man, i will leave school for you young guys. i been doing this for 16+ some years .. and I will tell you that you don't learn shit in a classrom, you learn from doing it. most doctors have 10 years of school and they don't know shit about nutrition or working out.
problem is young guys these days know everything though, thats why they get their asses handed to them in road races and bodybuilding competitions. when i was young I seeked the knowledge from experience guys, i LISTENED. these days kids know it all and don't want to hear anything. not sure if its a generational thing or just a trend who knows.
i never said to run on the treadmill 5 minutes. i said if you are running a 5K you should warm up by doing a light jog for 5-10 minutes.. if you are lifting you should warmup with light weights and then work your way up.. before a PL competition we would do a set of light weight, then before our first lift we would get angry and lift. there was no stretching involved.
to be quite honest I don't see people stretch at all at the gym.. even after.. but I am the few that do. i think stretching is important and good for the body. heck you can even catch me at yoga once in a while.. but the OP wanted to know what to do before he lifts, not before his baseball game.
problem is young guys these days know everything though, thats why they get their asses handed to them in road races and bodybuilding competitions. when i was young I seeked the knowledge from experience guys, i LISTENED. these days kids know it all and don't want to hear anything. not sure if its a generational thing or just a trend who knows.
i never said to run on the treadmill 5 minutes. i said if you are running a 5K you should warm up by doing a light jog for 5-10 minutes.. if you are lifting you should warmup with light weights and then work your way up.. before a PL competition we would do a set of light weight, then before our first lift we would get angry and lift. there was no stretching involved.
to be quite honest I don't see people stretch at all at the gym.. even after.. but I am the few that do. i think stretching is important and good for the body. heck you can even catch me at yoga once in a while.. but the OP wanted to know what to do before he lifts, not before his baseball game.
I know that people who do heavy squats before trying their vertical jump can jump HIGHER than if they didnt do the heavy squats. BUt that is not really relevant lol
The correct way to stretch is to do DYNAMIC stretching before you lift, STATIC stretching after you lift. Dynamic stretching is still stretching the muscle but you are not holding it in one place for 20+ seconds.
I think you guys are both agreeing on this, static stretching is not good before working out. However, dynamic stretching can be beneficial. I think getting your blood pumping either by walking/jogging/warm up sets with lighter weights is good. Jigga, how does running shorten your hip flexors? Every time I do squats after a jog I feel way better and more loose.
The correct way to stretch is to do DYNAMIC stretching before you lift, STATIC stretching after you lift. Dynamic stretching is still stretching the muscle but you are not holding it in one place for 20+ seconds.
I think you guys are both agreeing on this, static stretching is not good before working out. However, dynamic stretching can be beneficial. I think getting your blood pumping either by walking/jogging/warm up sets with lighter weights is good. Jigga, how does running shorten your hip flexors? Every time I do squats after a jog I feel way better and more loose.
What the hell is dynamic stretching, just swinging my arms back and forth or something? Of is it doing the actual exercise only with a lighter weight (warm up sets before going heavy)?
jiggagold
Well-known member
when you jog youre not extending your hip fully, its a shorter range of motion, same thing with most people on a bike or sitting down all the time at work, majority of people have tight and weak hip flexors
dynamic stretching is doing a motion that stretches you but you are always moving.
The Ultimate Dynamic Stretching Exercises That Take Your Fitness/Sport to The Next Level
there are some examples on this link, not saying this link is where i get any of my info, i just googled dynamic stretching. Swinging your arms back and forth is considered dynamic stretching. CEO has some good stuff on this topic I believe.
Oh damn you are right, I guess playing basketball can loosen your hip flexors since you arent in one position the whole time? What do you do for your hip flexors besides the foam rolling?
jiggagold
Well-known member
yea i play bball all the time great for the hips, these are hip mobilitys i do
EricCressey.com: Split-Stance Kneeling Adductor Mobs.wmv - YouTube
Walking Spiderman w/Overhead Reach - YouTube
Hip Mobility Drills: Fire Hydrant Circles with Joe DeFranco - YouTube
reverse lunges are great for the hips and barbell thrusts, one legged squats are good for stabilization too
Improve your Deadlift - Weighted Bridges - YouTube
those make u powerful and develops the glutes
all this stuff has made me more flexible and explosive, i have a pretty good vertical
EricCressey.com: Split-Stance Kneeling Adductor Mobs.wmv - YouTube
Walking Spiderman w/Overhead Reach - YouTube
Hip Mobility Drills: Fire Hydrant Circles with Joe DeFranco - YouTube
reverse lunges are great for the hips and barbell thrusts, one legged squats are good for stabilization too
Improve your Deadlift - Weighted Bridges - YouTube
those make u powerful and develops the glutes
all this stuff has made me more flexible and explosive, i have a pretty good vertical
Ok good to know that bball is good for the hips. Another one I like are the reverse lunge twists.
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