RunningAHEAD - Topic: To stretch or not to stretch?

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To stretch or not to stretch? (Read 818 times)

anutherfinemess	posted: 3/23/2008 at 5:59 AM
	Ok, so I'll take the other side of the coin. I'm an avid stretcher. I spent 15+ years as a devout gym rat and built a considerable amount of muscle before blowing out a shoulder and having to give up the pig iron. From there I transferred my focus to yoga and was shocked at how good I felt overall. It was amazing. I was a serious yogi for a few years and even taught informally. Then, for some odd reason about a year ago I decided to take up running. So now I run four days per week and do some minor weight work on the other three. But I stretch in the form of yoga before doing either. To qualify I do have to say that there is a huge difference between simply stretching ( a relatively mindless activity ) and going through a few well-planned yoga series that are put together to warm up and stretch the muscles used while running.
	And who am I anyway?<br> Just another fat jogger, evidently.

Mississippi view log	posted: 3/23/2008 at 6:02 AM
	I am still trying to figure out what is best for me. Lately I've not been stretching before a run and then attempting to spend time afterwards to stretch. I've had bad luck with over-stretching my hamstrings so I'm careful with that now.
	"You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast. These are some good times so take a good look around. You may not know it now but you're gonna miss this" ~ Trace Adkins RunningAhead.com Texas Independence Relay Team

pinwheel

view log

posted: 3/23/2008 at 6:20 AM

Quote from Save Cheevers on 3/14/2008 at 12:38 PM:

NY Times says the jury's still out. And here I thought it was universally accepted that stretching prevented injuries and helped performance. In fact, NYT says, distance runners are more efficient when they're stiff. What the hey? I just can't imagine ignoring stretching altogether, even if it's only a psychological benefit..

I thought this comment was interesting. The quote from the article is:

"But distance runners do not benefit from being flexible, he found. The most efficient runners, those who exerted the least effort to maintain a pace, were the stiffest."

This sort of implies that people who are less naturally flexible are more efficient runners. However, it doesn't really say if a given runner becomes less efficient as they become more flexible. Does that make sense? If they tested 100 people and found that the least flexible people are most efficient, this doesn't tell us whether those people were unflexible because they didn't stretch or because their baseline flexibility was very low.

Teresadfp view log	posted: 3/23/2008 at 6:32 PM
	Quote from pinwheel on 3/23/2008 at 6:20 AM: I thought this comment was interesting. The quote from the article is: "But distance runners do not benefit from being flexible, he found. The most efficient runners, those who exerted the least effort to maintain a pace, were the stiffest." This sort of implies that people who are less naturally flexible are more efficient runners. However, it doesn't really say if a given runner becomes less efficient as they become more flexible. Does that make sense? If they tested 100 people and found that the least flexible people are most efficient, this doesn't tell us whether those people were unflexible because they didn't stretch or because their baseline flexibility was very low. That is interesting. I know that my 15-year-old son, who is a very efficient long-distance runner, has always been unflexible. On his school physical fitness tests, he's always done well at all of them except the flexibility ones. Hmm, myabe there's hope for me, because I've never come close to being able to touch my toes!

averagehssoph	posted: 3/23/2008 at 11:15 PM
	I guess it depends, but I don't really know. I run track, and my coach says you have to, but I guess if you are running competitively, you should. I don't really know if it is really necessary if you are just running to stay in shape, etc. Here's an article from about: http://running.about.com/od/running101/a/stretching101.htm Here's one from marathon training: http://www.marathontraining.com/marathon/m_stretch.html Maybe this will be useful from USATF later on: http://www.usatf.org/stretchStudy/ I dunno. I'm no doctor, but I would say that you should stretch beforehand. We've been doing it forever, and it would not be good if everyone suddenly began to get injured because everyone stopped stretching. Since I began running, I have noticed that stretching consistently does reduce soreness the day after, etc. And plus, I take everything the New York Times says with a grain of salt...
	PRs: 1000: 3:01 1 Mile: 4:55 2 Mile: 10:55 2009 Goals: Sub 4:50 mile, 2:50 1000 meter, Good first real XC season

Daddyo view log It's BQ year!	posted: 3/26/2008 at 7:27 PM
	I added easy warm up pace to the beginning and cool dowm + walking to the end of my runs and I finally got rid of nagging leg trouble. After my runs Ido light stretch (it should never conme evn close to hurting) I must add, IT Band stretches are one I still do extensively, as that sucker is a tough one and causes a load of issues when it's tight. Happy to be running pain free again!
	Dave ~ Marathon Maniac #1166 www.daddyo.ca Success is sweet and sweeter if long delayed and gotten through many struggles and defeats.

modal view log Bloody Nipple	posted: 3/26/2008 at 7:45 PM
	I think the current issues I am having are due to my not stretching or being to lax with stretching.
	March 7 & 8, 2009 - Join the RunningAHEAD.com Texas Independence Relay Team [VIDEO] online cashback tool 2009 Goals 1. Get out the Door 2. Run ~100 miles a month or at least a 1000 miles for the year 3. Run a Marathon < 4:30 4. Run a Half < 1:54 (Benbrook, Texas Half Marathon)

Hikerchick8 view log	posted: 3/26/2008 at 8:42 PM
	I stretch after exercise, just cause it feels good. I don't overstretch, and if it feels like it's straining, I ease up on it. I stretch in the morning (sun salutations) while the shower is heating up. I do yoga a couple times a week, because it feels good, and helps me with stress relief (my shoulders are regularly up around my ears - yoga helps me get them down where they belong!!).
	Michelle

Mississippi view log	posted: 3/26/2008 at 8:43 PM
	I really need to start stretching more. I'm finding a huge difference in how I feel when I do or don't stretch. And, I feel MUCH better with more stretching. I've also learned not to stretch too hard. When I take the time to stretch after running I'm finding that my warm up runs are more comfortable the next time I run.
	"You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast. These are some good times so take a good look around. You may not know it now but you're gonna miss this" ~ Trace Adkins RunningAhead.com Texas Independence Relay Team

Marcus L S Monkey Scratch	posted: 3/26/2008 at 9:15 PM
	Quote from Teresadfp on 3/23/2008 at 6:32 PM: That is interesting. I know that my 15-year-old son, who is a very efficient long-distance runner, has always been unflexible. On his school physical fitness tests, he's always done well at all of them except the flexibility ones. Hmm, myabe there's hope for me, because I've never come close to being able to touch my toes! T, I am horribly inflexible too. I cannot touch my toes without bending my knees. It did get better when I was doing Tae Kwon Do, but as soon as I stopped the regular stretching it all tightened back up. I did Pilates once a week for 6 mos a couple of years ago and got a little more flexible, but not like with TKD. Curiously my hip flexors are very flexible for some reason.
	all you touch and all you see, is all your life will ever be Obesity is a disease. Yes, a disease where nothing tastes bad...except salads.

modal view log Bloody Nipple	posted: 3/26/2008 at 9:18 PM
	Funny, I used to fail those fitness tests in grade school because of stretching. I couldn't touch my toes. I finally got my body inline with the program and now can!
	March 7 & 8, 2009 - Join the RunningAHEAD.com Texas Independence Relay Team [VIDEO] online cashback tool 2009 Goals 1. Get out the Door 2. Run ~100 miles a month or at least a 1000 miles for the year 3. Run a Marathon < 4:30 4. Run a Half < 1:54 (Benbrook, Texas Half Marathon)

Tchuck	posted: 3/27/2008 at 2:56 AM
	I think you all know my thoughts on stretching. I went to a podiatrist recently just for a check up on orthotics. He tested my calf flexibility. AND I have been religiously stretching my calves for 15 years (at his request and it has helped big time) since I got my orthotics when dealing with shin splints. He still says I will have better foot function (which affects everything "up") if my calves were even more flexible. I couldn't believe it. I know of no one who has more flexible calves than me. BTW, I can face the wall and slowly work my way back to where I am at a 45 degree angle to wall and barely touching wall while keeping heels down and still barely getting a stretch. I can easily squat all the way down and keep heels on floor. My point is, here is a professional who says my body (feet and up) will function even better and with increased efficiency with increased flexiblilty in gastrocnemius and soleus. He is not making this up.
	Those who try, fail! Those who do what it takes to succeed, succeed!!

Jim24315 view log	posted: 3/27/2008 at 7:37 AM
	Quote from modal on 3/26/2008 at 9:18 PM: Funny, I used to fail those fitness tests in grade school because of stretching. I couldn't touch my toes. I finally got my body inline with the program and now can! Being able to touch your toes has nothing to do with how fit you are, especially when it comes to distance running. Take a survey among top runners and see what percent of them stretch. You might be surprised at how many don't. Whether to stretch or not has always been a topic for heated debate. It helps some people and others it doesn't. For many people srtetching causes more injuries than it prevents. Before you jump all over me, remember that I said "it helps some people and others it doesn't".
	Masters PR's: 40's - 5k 16:39; 10k 33:48, 10m 56:25, HM 1:15:27, Marathon 2:43:12 50's - couch potato 60's - 5k 19:00, 10k 38:35, 10m 1:05:30, HM 1:24:09, 30k 2:04:33

biketm view log 100 pounds lighter	posted: 3/27/2008 at 1:38 PM
	Quote from Jim24315 on 3/27/2008 at 7:37 AM: For many people stretching causes more injuries than it prevents. That's definitely the case for me.
	New cross-training lexicon for injured runners: Helliptical Biking to nowhere Pool dreading Stairmasochist Bore work (aka core work) Enke

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