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"Stretching? I don't believe in it? Does a lion limber up before he takes down a gazelle?"
Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) from the movie Zombie Land.
it sorta does right after rising from its slumber all the time with those Yoga type up dog down dog stretches that cats do.. so.. considering how much a cat sleeps.. ya gotta figure there's a lot of stretching going on.
it sorta does right after rising from its slumber all the time with those Yoga type up dog down dog stretches that cats do.. so.. considering how much a cat sleeps.. ya gotta figure there's a lot of stretching going on.
i was thinking the same thing. i dont know about a lion, but my dog regularly does some stretches.
im kind of surprised by the generally negative attitude towards stretching in this thread. i do a little stretching before my workout and thats about it. i dont have any scientific studies but my general feeling is its good to loosen up before a workout but its value is pretty limited. i have seen people who talk about stretching as if it was exercise in of itself. they are just trying to make themselves feel better about themselves because they would prefer to stretch rather than lift heavy.
I saw a recent study that said it's kind of a waste of time. I certainly don't do it before I jump on my bike for a long ride. I usually do stretch before fencing using a routine my instructor devised. I don't know how much good it does but it seems to make him happy. My suspicion is he uses it to assess whether we're injured in some way.
BUMPING AN OLD THREAD FOR RE-VISIT:
I go to a ton of baseball games and notice the players all stretch before their games. Really a waste of time?
I'm trying to get back into a routine at least x2-3/week.
Stretching is good if performed correctly. There are many different types of stretching. Personally, I believe in being actively engaged, and even in some carefully executed loaded stretching, as well as mobility work that also works as a stretch. It's important that you remain mobile as you get older. Strength is great, but you need to be agile enough to use that strength.
I'm a dancer. Stretching is just part of my routine. I warm up first, then lightly stretch, and stretch more as I exercise or afterward. I am 45 and can do the splits again for the first time since I was 20 and quit dancing (I started dancing again at age 44). Having more flexibility has improved my leaps and jumps in ballet/modern dance, and has improved my range of movement and hence expression/creativity in choreography. Being more limber has also made it easier for me to do things like get in and out of a canoe, reach behind furniture when cleaning etc.
However, stretching when I am cold and not warmed up is a no no.
Stretching is good if performed correctly. There are many different types of stretching. Personally, I believe in being actively engaged, and even in some carefully executed loaded stretching, as well as mobility work that also works as a stretch. It's important that you remain mobile as you get older. Strength is great, but you need to be agile enough to use that strength.
So true, one of the easiest areas to get lazy about too. At least for me. I've already skipped mobility work twice this week.
Stretching is vitally important for good physical health/fitness. I've tried not stretching versus stretching and I can say that I am and feel 1000x better when incorporating stretching into my routines.
With all that being said, the time, duration and types of stretching is important.
Performing a series of Vinyasa Sun Salutations A and B first thing in the morning is GREAT. Stretching haphazardly and miscellaneous muscle groups first thing in the morning - NOT so great.
I never ever ever stretch while "cold". I always do some type of warmup or exercise first. For example, before my morning runs, I usually do about 10-15 minutes of jump rope (mixed double unders and high knees), then do some light stretching right after beginning my 5k - 10k run. AFTER my run, I do a bit more intense stretching as part of cool down. This usually involves some yoga asanas and/or sun salutations in addition to targeted stretching of used muscle groups.
After weight/resistance/crossfit training, I always stretch the muscle groups used. Still, I warmup with 20-30 minutes of rupe jumping prior, then some light stretching of the muscle groups being exercised that day. After the weight training session, I stretch the muscles used.
Stretching is an absolute must. People just need to be smart with the when and how to do it properly.
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