Stretch routines

[Reincarnate]

ITT we discuss our stretch routines (what we do, how we do them, when we do them, etc.)

[SCWolf]

I don't do them but I should

Here's a question for someone more knowledgeable than me; could you technically get away without stretching at all if instead you got a deep tissue massage, say, once a month? Are there benefits stretching has over a deep tissue massage? If so what and why?

[Reincarnate]

I don't know anything but I'm tempted to say no. I'm not at home so I'll just post this for now:

http://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-r...-think-it-does

Tldr stretching is all about the cns

[Poison-]

I play competitive Melee, so I stretch my hands and wrists everyday, whether I actually play that day or not.

There's a lot of solid advice in this thread. I recommend everyone check it out if you spend a lot of time on a computer/playing video games for extended periods of time.
http://smashboards.com/threads/stayi...longer.332355/

[andy-o24]

I have heard some things regarding stretching such as warming the muscles up before stretching, stretch before and after your activity, etc.
Can you dispel those ideas as myth or is there some merit? I've been interested in pursuing more flexibility, and it sounds like it is a long road of retraining my CNS from that article.

-o24

[Reach]

I wanted to be able to do the splits again so I started stretching every second day. Usually one light, simple stretch day followed by a stretch day where I would push myself hard.

Usually started with stiff leg toe touches (went from barely being able to touch my toes to being able to put my hands flat on the floor in about 6 months)

Then I would do a couple hip and hamstring specific stretches. I don't even know what they're called. I did them to open up my hips and get rid of tightness and they work pretty marvelously.

Then I simply go into a split position. I generally hold it for 30ish seconds as deep as I can without any discomfort, and if it's a go-hard day then I'll push past that until it hurts, hold as long as I can, and then briefly push a little bit further.

Then I'd repeat the set once or twice depending on how I felt.

I can pretty much do the side splits now 6 months later pretty easily with my butt touching the ground and toes up. Toes to the side I can't quite get all the way down yet, front splits I still have a ways to go.


Set back quite a bit though, haven't seriously stretched in 3 weeks since my disk herniation. Healing up nicely though so I might start again next week.

I have heard some things regarding stretching such as warming the muscles up before stretching, stretch before and after your activity, etc.
Can you dispel those ideas as myth or is there some merit?

Stretching before or after activity seems pretty irrelevant. Most of the evidence I've read on stretching before doing physical activity lead to no injury reduction. If anything, I've read some studies that showed injuries were increased.

I don't see any point in stretching before or after exercise unless...you want to stretch. It doesn't reduce injury or improve performance. Just warm up normally to get the blood flowing.

[Reincarnate]

andy-o24:

Reach already touched on this point, but studies suggest that doing static stretches pre-workout doesn't lead to a reduction in injury rate (and if anything, it may actually increase injury rate a little).

Past that, the conventional wisdom you'll see a lot is to do dynamic stretches pre-workout, and static stretches post-workout.

Personally, I disagree somewhat:

When you're about to work out, I don't believe this is the best time to be trying to train your CNS to extend your range of motion. I think it suffices to simply ensure that you can move safely through your current range of motion, which is where warm-ups come into play.

In other words, avoid static stretching beforehand, and then warm up + lift.

Flexibility work / static stretching / extending your range of motion should probably be given its own dedicated time, and it doesn't necessarily have to be right after a workout.