Stretching
Copied from an article I was reading.
Stretching is perhaps one of the most controversial fitness subjects of present day. Passionate debates arise between those who perceive the benefits of stretching and those, like me, who think stretching is one of the worst activities you can partake in, especially if you’re already injured. It’s a tradition that’s hard to break because so many of us have the stretching necessity ingrained in our heads as we’ve listened to coaches, trainers, professional athletes, researchers, and doctors throughout our fitness lives. Although research shows stretching has no value and may actually cause harm, people find it difficult to “Just Say ‘no’ to stretching.” 
Now, to clarify, I’m primarily talking about static stretching – that’s the “stretch and hold” type of stretching. Dynamic stretching is different as it promotes natural movements and range of motion that typically isn’t harmful if done properly. I’m all for moving natural and natural/normal range of motion of joints and muscles but I don’t think that we need to call this “stretching.” Read on to understand my madness…
I don’t stretch. I’ve never advised any patient, athlete, or anyone who cares about their health to stretch. I am in very good health and have very good fitness. Although I don’t stretch at all, I’m rather flexible. This is because flexibility is a reflection of health and fitness, not stretching. I had two interesting experiences over the past couple years with coaches I hired for a bit to help me with my swimming and cycling techniques. The swim coach noticed I was not extending my arm out far enough in the water and therefore not grabbing as much water as I could be. Essentially I was not making myself as long as I could be and streamlining through the water. So he pulled me out of the pool and showed me what to do on land. He commented on how I was too tight and needed to stretch my arms out more to get the length I was looking for. But when I was able to do on land what he wanted me to do in the water he was amazed I could lengthen my body (arm) out so much. I was not inflexible, I just had poor swim technique, and that needed correction. My cycling coach was also surprised when he was checking my flexibility to adjust my bike position. His initial comment was that I must stretch a lot as I was pretty flexible for someone who can remain in a bent over aero position on a bike for five or more hours. I still don’t think he believed me when I told him I never stretch. I did stretch a lot in high school – before cross country practice, a lot in wrestling practice, and on my own. I was injured a lot. When I wasn’t injured, I was still having some muscular issue somewhere. Now I subscribe to my no stretching, no injuries program.
Comments
This guy already indicated that he was very flexible. He already has the range of motion necessary to do what he needs to do (stay aero, extend his arm), he just wasn't doing it. His performance limiter had more to do with correct form than the inability to DO the correct form.
I disagree that stretching is "bad". All research shows that flexibility decreases as we age, which leads to back/neck/core problems, even in non-athletes. Do I think we all need to be bendy/yoga-pretzel people who dedicate an hour or more to JUST flexibility every day? Absolutely not. But I do think that flexibility plays a key role in fitness.
I appreciate this guy's opinion, but to me it's no different than saying that because chocolate milk upsets my stomach immediately after a hard ride or run means that it's bad for athletes in general. It's just his N=1.
Actually, this guys situation reminds me a lot of my wife, who is plagued with hyper-mobility. Sounds like it'd be a good thing, but it isn't. She's injured a LOT because her muscles and joints are so flexible. It's almost like her muscles are so flexible that she has no warning sign that the rest of us do - that feeling when we are stretching and feel the pull - that tells us we are reaching a limit. Imagine if you didn't have that tension - you'd just go further and further until you damage connective tissue (which takes a lot longer to repair). Thats exactly what happens with my wife - when she gets injured, it takes her much longer to heal because it's always some sort of connective tissue injury.
IMO, this guy is doing people a disservice by spreading bad information, because he's not considering factors other than what he encounters in his own little world. It's one of the reasons why I don't really look for advice outside EN anymore - because at least here, people acknowledge they can only comment on their own situation - or if they do have more general advice, it is backed up by something more than an N=1 experience, or with specific considerations in mind.
I'm in the 'do' stretching camp as well. I'm also fairly flexible, but do have a couple real deficiencies that I found doing Karate. For me I find if I stretch and use the TP massage roller it really help keep injuries and tightness away. If I stop doing this things creep up.
I do agree that you have to be able to deliniate the difference between stiffness and injury. I have aggrevated a couple things by trying to stretch more of too much.
Gordon
What Kori and Ryan said.
I'm someone who likes to stretch. I like how I feel afterwards. I don't do it because I think it will prevent injury - I'm with Kori that the main factor there is proper form when exercising. I also don't think static stretching harms me; decades of doing it tells me otherwise. But then I've got my father's stiffer, thicker joints, at least in my legs. But I also appreciate what being too flexible, too "loose" can mean for an athlete. The first example I saw of that was the backcourt tandem of UCLA's first NCAA champs - the ones before Kareem et al. Gail Goodrich was a stocky, muscular 6'1" guy, went on to have a nearly 15 year NBA career - never seemed to get hurt. His equally skilled partner guard, Keith Erickson, a lithe, loose 6'5" who kept hurting his knees, his ankles, his back, etc, and flamed out very early @ the pro level.
I'm a stretcher but not very flexible. In fact, I'm also a foam roller, self graston, and a newly hip and glute strength exercising person..I put all of that into the catagory of body self care so I can perform SBR on a regular basis.
So maybe for someone who is naturally flexible the benefits of stretching are not so great, but for those of us who are less flexible it is surely a benefit. Even at the end of the day sitting behind my desk I can tell how stiff I am. I spend a good amount of time in the evenings on the floor stretching and rolling.
As people who SBR a lot, is there a person out there who doesn't thinks at a minimum stretching your calves is a good idea...??
imagine an experiment where two groups of ENers did an OS. Over 14 weeks one group did no stretching while the other group did routine stretching daily. I wonder which group would have more injuries during or shortly after their OS and into the season...I would bet a paycheck I would be injured with PF, foot tendanitice, and hip flexors so tight I could barely walk, etc..etc..
Long story short - the guy is a chiro, using his own practice as the basis for his thoughts. He's holistic, so his contention is that if you need to stretch, there is something else going on (either poor diet with too many inflammatories, imbalanced muscles, too much high intensity, etc) that is making the stretching necessary. It's possible - I'm certainly open to the idea that I may have an imbalance in my personal situation. But I'm certainly not going to alter what I've refined over the years as my injury prevention routine based on what this guy says in a vacuum.