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Stretching before and or after?

Andres DuarteAndres Duarte
in General Training Discussions
I been reading conflicting advise regarding what to do about stretching. So all agree that warming up is critical, but some say to complete a full stretch, a light one or not at all. So what is the consensus?

And once you finished the exercise, how much, if at all, streetch you need to do?

Thanks!

Comments

  • Robert SaboRobert Sabo
    Dynamic warmup and stretch after ; about 5 minutes each
  • Brad MarcusBrad Marcus
    Agree with Robert, dynamic before and static afterwards...NEVER static before! For me, the longer the effort, the more stretching required on the back end.
  • Tom GlynnTom Glynn
    Before exercise, I tend to just start slowly and build into the work as a way to warm up the muscles. Swim warm up is a couple hundred yards slow. Run is 10 minutes of walking, then jogging, then running slowly. Biking is 5 minutes of low power and higher cadence.

    As to after, I rarely stretch. 5 minutes of cool down, easy stuff usually. I've read a bunch on stretching after and I'm not convinced it's usually necessary.
  • Derrek SanksDerrek Sanks
    x3 on what Robert said. Static stretching afterwards helps me prevent tight muscles.
  • Steve WestSteve West
    Similar to others, no stretching before and like Tom I ease into a workout. After I always stretch after or I loose much of my flexibility. Over the years I have built a routine of stretches that target all my main muscle groups and joints. Takes me less than 7 minutes to complete.
  • Scott ImlayScott Imlay

     

    There was an interesting article on stretching in Triathlete magazine last summer (http://www.triathlete.com/2016/07/training/benefits-static-stretching-exercise_134160). A major take-away is that static stretching can reduce performance for explosive exercise (100m sprint) but has no affects on performance for runs of 3km or longer.

     

    I grew up doing static stretches before and after running but was convinced to convert to pre-run dynamic stretching for performance reasons. Since reading this article I've started augmenting my pre-run dynamic stretches with static stretching on those days were I feel particularly stiff (perhaps every third of fourth run). I can't prove that it has helped, but I feel like I run a little better. I always do static stretching after my runs.   

     

  • Juan VergaraJuan Vergara
    One "major" change I made in 2016 was my pre-run warm up/dynamic stretch, incorporating a "non-negotiable" 15 minute pre run routine which seems to have been a key ingredient of my "zero-injury-season". Different from the past, if time constrained, cut down from the run .... never from the warm up.
  • Scott GiljumScott Giljum
    Sounds like I have the same deal as a few others. I have never really "felt" the benefit of dynamic stretching. Esp for our type of work, I find I can just ease myself into it and then let it rip. After, I always stretch and roll my trouble areas (hips, I'm looking at you). So I would say I eat a little bit for warm up and stretch some after. I actually find the rolling helps more, so take it for what it's worth.
  • Al TruscottAl Truscott

    Posted By Juan Vergara on 02 Jan 2017 06:21 PM


    One "major" change I made in 2016 was my pre-run warm up/dynamic stretch, incorporating a "non-negotiable" 15 minute pre run routine which seems to have been a key ingredient of my "zero-injury-season". Different from the past, if time constrained, cut down from the run .... never from the warm up.

    This is great advice - make it mandatory. I have added this also over the past year or so, but Juan's example of firm commitment motivates me further. I still need to learn the obvious advice, don't go "Too fast, too far, too soon" when ramping up a run after some easier training, or coming off a major long course race.

  • Juan VergaraJuan Vergara
    My routine - FWIW - is pretty much an "adapted combination" of the following two videos:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AmJdqLnM0Q&sns=em

    http://www.coachjayjohnson.com/2010/04/lunge-matrix-as-warm-up/

    From there, I go straight into Z1
  • Andres DuarteAndres Duarte
    This is really great advise !! thanks
  • Gareth JenkinsGareth Jenkins

    As ever in life, I think the answer is "it depends"!  As I get older (after 40 it was noticable), I find that if I don't stretch a bit before a run, then warm gently into the run, and then stretch fully after the run, i get tight muscles and get injured (especially IT Band, shin splints).  

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