Stretching

[Qat]

So guys, do you stretch at all?

Personally I don't unless a trainer tells me to, but I'm beginning to flirt with the idea after I noticed my body is becoming a little more prone to cramps and stuff.

So what do you do? What is best in your opinion, and when?

I'm thinking like I may do a little session every day after I wake up or something.

 

[1031]

Q @Qat, I recently read that there wasn't much science to support the benefits of stretching but I've noticed that the same people who have always paid attention to their flexibility have also mostly avoided major injuries.
The answers to your questions:

• Yes.
• Legs (mostly groin, hamstrings and calves), lower back and obliques, neck and shoulders (hanging has helped me recover from a really bad shoulder injury and absolutely nothing else worked even a little bit before that).
• No idea what's best or when it's best but like most things, it probably pays more to do it regularly instead of sporadically.

I like to stretch before I warm up and as a cool down.

Maybe if you make it part of something it will be easier to stick with? Like if you incorporate it into something you already do then making it a habit will have a higher probability of success?

 

[Leigh]

I've stretched a lot in the past. I personally don't find much benefit past beginner gains in flexibility. I don't stretch any more other than the odd cool down after training at a very low intensity.

I've run stretch trials in the past. Static stretching by itself didn't do much, just hurt a lot. Flexibility is largly controlled by your CNS. You're not actually lengthening muscle fibres - that's pretty mental.

If you want flexibility in a certain movement (eg head kicks or rubber guard), I'd suggest some basic low intensity static stretching and some dynamic practise of the movements in question.

 

[Qat]

Flexibility is largly controlled by your CNS.

What's that?

Maybe if you make it part of something it will be easier to stick with? Like if you incorporate it into something you already do then making it a habit will have a higher probability of success?

Yeah as I said, if, then I will do it every morning and make it into a routine.

I've stretched a lot in the past. I personally don't find much benefit past beginner gains in flexibility. I don't stretch any more other than the odd cool down after training at a very low intensity.

Yep, I didn't want to go extreme anyhow, just some very basic stuff to activate the muscles.

I never had big problems with muscles or injuries other than my arm which stemmed from an accident, but in last couple months I noticed a little shift in that I think. Nothing big just a few cramps, but still, got me thinking.

I'm not as fit as you are for sure. Kicks etc aren't on my radar, not gonna join any gym anytime soon either. My 'base' is Judo and Boxing, I stopped Judo a long time ago and was forced to stop boxing due to the issue with my arm.
Basically what I do is, I drive a lot of bicycle, which I count as cardio (100 - 150 km a week), I do some bodyweight exercises, but without a real routine, just as I see fit, and I do punish the heavy bag I have at home a couple times a week.

Then sometimes I play basketball or football, sometimes means once a week to once a month or so, and all other stuff is not regular.
Had two cramps while playing football recently, and I guess its since running/sprinting is not something I do otherwise, could also have to do with exhaustion but dunno.
Also had one during another activity which I don't wanna detail.

Nutrition is not a problem, so I thought, maybe if I stretch every day, it can help avoid those things. And yeah for work I do sit a lot.

Gonna go surfing next month and climbing rocks in autumn and all these things you don't do often, and just thought it would be dumb if I got issues there that could be easily avoided by pumping some blood into the muscles every morning. I doubt it can hurt anyway, and at worst its just a mental aid.

So basically I already decided to do it I guess, but, what stretching-exercises exactly would you propose? Just universal, full-body stuff that gets everything going.
Only thing I guess I can't do is the old 'arm on the wall/door backwards and push'-thingy.

 

[Leigh]

What's that?

Central nervous system. Your movements are neural.

I think for your purposes, you're better off having a light, easy swim with different strokes. Nothing strenuous.

 

[Qat]

Central nervous system. Your movements are neural.

I think for your purposes, you're better off having a light, easy swim with different strokes. Nothing strenuous.

That's a very good tip actually, and I am currently like once a week, but not for long any more when it gets cold again. I don't like indoor pools at all, can't imagine going there regularly, nope.

 

[Leigh]

That's a very good tip actually, and I am currently like once a week, but not for long any more when it gets cold again. I don't like indoor pools at all, can't imagine going there regularly, nope.

I'm only suggesting 10 mins or so

 

[Qat]

I'm only suggesting 10 mins or so

What, every day?

If I had my own pool, sure.
But not gonna waste an hour to get to an indoor pool and pay 5€ to jump into the chlorine-mix for 10 mins.
And dunno, I just never liked the atmosphere in such establishments.

Basically not practical nor enjoyable for me.

 

[Lord Vutulaki]

What, every day?

If I had my own pool, sure.
But not gonna waste an hour to get to an indoor pool and pay 5€ to jump into the chlorine-mix for 10 mins.
And dunno, I just never liked the atmosphere in such establishments.

Basically not practical nor enjoyable for me.

Hahahaha lol $20 to swim? Thats fuckeden

 

[Qat]

Hahahaha lol $20 to swim? Thats fuckeden

It was a guess but probably a realistic one.
Generally its expensive, yeah, its rather done for families etc anyway. They want you stay a couple hours and then eat in their restaurant.

 

[Lord Vutulaki]

It was a guess but probably a realistic one.
Generally its expensive, yeah, its rather done for families etc anyway. They want you stay a couple hours and then eat in their restaurant.

I guess you would laugh at our ski lift prices. ..

Anyway keep your static stretches for pwo when you're really warm. Dynamic stretching as part of your warm up, once you're semi warm. I've had MT instructors in Thailand tell me that, HS PE teachers, powerlifting coaches. Its worked well for me.