To Stretch or Not to Stretch? The Answer Is Elastic

[Bouncer]

News about stretching seems to come in waves. Stretch as part of your warm-up. No, stretch after your workout. No, don’t even bother stretching. Or the doozy: Even if you think you like it, it’s been oversold as a way to prevent injury or improve performance.

The truth is that after dozens of studies and years of debate, no one really knows whether stretching helps, harms, or does anything in particular for performance or injury rates. Yet most athletes remain convinced that stretching helps, and recently more and more have felt a sort of social pressure to show that they are limber, in part due to the popularity of yoga. Flexibility has become another area where many athletes want to excel.


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/13/he...on&oref=slogin

[Bouncer]

I am not so sure about stretching. Every time I try to stretch a certain muscle, it feels tight and injury prone for days. Seems like it does more harm than good for me. Thoughts?

[Mr I]

personally I like to stretch, a little.

hamstrings, shoulders, pecs I warm them all up but I don't really stretch til it hurts just a little and hold it for 10-20 seconds.

[Timma]

I like to stretch when i'm done working out. I feel it helps with my flexibility and with soreness.

Hey Bouncer I thought you stretched so that you could give yourself head? Or was that ribs removed? :P

[Shibby]

I am not so sure about stretching. Every time I try to stretch a certain muscle, it feels tight and injury prone for days. Seems like it does more harm than good for me. Thoughts?

Are you stretching cold? It seems a lot of what I have read lately is that stretching cold can lead to injury. That you should do a 10 minute walk warmup or some super light half reps, then stretch.

[blm]

When I fail to stretch for any prolonged period of time my body starts to get real tense and my neck and lower back start to ache. As soon as I start stretching regularly again it all goes away. Stretching is a necessity for me I could care less what any study claims or not...it helps me personally.

[Mr.Mafioso]

i do a good warm up then a stretch of the muscles im about to workout and little stretches in between sets

like shibby said its not a good idea to stretch when cold

[Bouncer]

i have stretched cold, warm, in between, after a workout etc.. all seemed to do nothing but make the muscle feel tight and injured.

[NYCmitch25]

yeah i read a lot of shit about stretching. it seems like a waste of time for me. if i warm up its just as good. if i have tighness or soreness ill stretch then warm up. those rollers are reallly good if your gonna stretch

[alwaysgrowing]

I always stretch after i'm done doing cardio. My hamstrings, calves and hip flexors. My quads dependings how hard i ran

[Bouncer]

i feel like a light warm up with weights is the best way to go. for example before doing chest i will grab like 25lb db's and do like 25 flys and then some quick presses. gets the muscle warm and full and ready to lift.