Who stretches before a workout?

[96Cobra_Nate]

I have been stretching for the last 3 months before any type of workout, it usually takes me about 15 minutes. I feel alot better the next day after an intense workout and it has helped with preventing injury. my next step is to try some yoga, I herd it can be pretty challenging and really hits your core. ;)

[0 GT 2]

playin baseball at school we would stretch for about 20-30 minutes every day before practice.

we never got into yoga though.

[ceyko]

Through HS and the Army I always stretched. For the last month I've stopped stretching all together. For my runs, I run, but not fast and not a trot for about a mile until I am warm and then haul ass. Same concept with the other workouts I do. I personally found that it works just as well as stretching for 10-20 minutes.

However, I do stretch after the workout to cool down. Plus, I am a little more limber after the workout so I can really get a good stretch in.

Take care,

[LTP]

warming up the muscle is more important than stretching it to me. heat helps expansion, so in theory, it is useless to strech cold muscles. so I always do 6-10 minutes of cardio before i lift, then stretch between sets as the muscle warms up and tightens.

but that's just me, what works for me might not work for someone else, but give it a shot, trying is free. lol

[96Cobra_Nate]

warming up the muscle is more important than stretching it to me. heat helps expansion, so in theory, it is useless to strech cold muscles. so I always do 6-10 minutes of cardio before i lift, then stretch between sets as the muscle warms up and tightens.

but that's just me, what works for me might not work for someone else, but give it a shot, trying is free. lol

That's why I hop in the tanning bed before the stretch. :D

[LTP]

That's why I hop in the tanning bed before the stretch. :D



hahahah.

[Shorty]

just warm up before and then stretch after

[GTChick01]

I stretch before and after.

[JordonMusser]

you should not stretch before your muscles are warmed up.. they dont stretch easily, and you can cause premature damage to your tendons. Warm up, then stretch, then hit the weights (track, etc) hard :-D

[GE]

I used to warm up for like 5 minutes, then stretch, then do 20 mins of cardio and then weights. But now I'm training with a guy who said not to stretch at all until after your workout. What's the logic behind this? I'm just trying to prevent injury.

[JPS]

I stretch out after my work out. Asking my muscles to stretch at 5:15 is asking too much of my body. :p

JPS

[buzntxn]

you are supposed to stretch before AND after, final answer. dont ask why, i'm not a PE teacher. what is this cold shit? your body stays at 98 degrees so if you are reffering to something like a laffy taffy and how it breaks when stretched cold, you have the wrong idea.

[90redlx]

you should not stretch before your muscles are warmed up.. they dont stretch easily, and you can cause premature damage to your tendons. Warm up, then stretch, then hit the weights (track, etc) hard :-D

I have never heard that before.

"Stretching aids greatly in preventing injuries to the muscle as it aids in the warm up process by helping deliver blood into the muscle. Getting your muscles loosened up and ready for the iron attack is crucial for a workout."

Here is an article on stretching where I got the quote................
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jason12.htm

[GE]

Links that say to stretch AFTER you workout.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/07/01/earlyshow/saturday/main705784.shtml

http://www.ballyfitness.com/rapid_results/expert_advice/articles/articledyn.asp?article=84

http://www.propelfitnesswater.com/gunnar_one-on-one/fitness_tips/?tip=working_out_wisely

http://www.humankinetics.com/products/showexcerpt.cfm?excerpt_id=3402

From what I can gather from reading... do about 5-10 minutes of light warm up, then do the weights. Stretch after you work the muscle group you've just worked on, and then stretch after the workout.

[01WhiteCobra]

A separate paper in the March issue of The Physician and Sports Medicine noted that stretching may even slightly impair performance because, as with weight lifting, muscle force decreases slightly, by 2 to 5 percent, immediately after stretching.

http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/fitness/articles/2005/07/05/how_important_is_it_to_stretch_before_or_after_exe rcise/

[poopnut2]

I stretch for a few minutes and have yet to wake up really sore the next day after about 50 minutes of lifting.

[darkROAM_1]

Actually, stretching is a way to cool down and let the muscles relax AFTER a workout. Though light stretching is recommended before a workout, the best time to do it is after. If you hurt yourself during a workout anyhow, you prolly didn't do it right in the first place.

Stretching helps start the muscle rebuild process. And it also aids in getting ready for rest.