How important is the streching?

desislavia · Post by **desislavia** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 7:52 am

Hi all, I would ask you - Do I need make the streching before training and how much i need strech after train in case i want have more plastic body... Also what kind of program i can add to typical week workout programm - yoga, pilates ... or? I would make a body as dancer style..

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 5:40 pm

stretch and how flexibile are you? what do you want it for?

Joesportstalk · Post by **Joesportstalk** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:28 am

Stretching is very important.
As far as Pilates or yoga being more specific to the flexibility issue. I would choose Yoga for the class to take each week.

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 4:31 pm

i'd mobility over flexibility anyday

Joesportstalk · Post by **Joesportstalk** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 6:36 pm

swanso5 wrote:i'd mobility over flexibility anyday

Yes but Mobility will be limited without flexibility just as a basic rule of science and biology.

Packard · Post by **Packard** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 4:51 pm

Being limber is important. Most women are fairly limber and might not need too much stretching. Most men are not limber and do require quite a bit of stretching.

Being limber will help minimize muscle spasms (cramps) and reduce the likelihood of muscle pulls. If you are quite limber then you will have to do very little in the way of stretching. I am not limber and I do quite a bit.

Being limber makes you more agile and athletic (a good thing).

So stretching is very important if you need it; not so important if you are already limber.

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 5:55 pm

you need joint mobility before muscle flexibility...if your joint can't move then how can your muscles???

Packard · Post by **Packard** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 8:19 am

swanso5 wrote:you need joint mobility before muscle flexibility...if your joint can't move then how can your muscles???

Joints are fixed configurations. You cannot modify the joints by exercising or stretching. You can lose joint mobility because of lack of limberness due to tight muscles and tendons. But the joints cannot be modified by the same. They can only be damaged or worn out.

Boss Man · Post by **Boss Man** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 7:22 pm

Agreed to a point on Joint mobility. Joint mobility is goverened by connective tissue to a large extent, and Water and Fat deposits. Bone Density Synovial Fluid and Cartilage levels also account for mobility, (depending on joint type), so then diet plays it's part as does metabolic health, hormone release, and Endocrine health in general.

Joint mobility governs muscle mobility, stiff joints or weak joints hinder muscle movement. Therefore I feel, any movement issues need sorting out, before muscle improvement could or should be made.

Especially if Joints are weak, as things like running, resistance training etc etc, could harm Joints further.

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 8:05 pm

You cannot modify the joints by exercising or stretching

yes you can but it's not simply joint, you're also mobilising the muscle around the joint but if you've got a shoulder that won;t move then stretching out the actual capsule is a far better option then chest, lats etc...same with the hip which is an even deeper ball and socket joint...plenty have flexibile hamstrongs but hardly any have enough hip mobility

Joesportstalk · Post by **Joesportstalk** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 9:49 pm

Yoga will help with the mobility much better than Pilates will too.

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 11:36 pm

yoga generally promotes mobility in the wrong places though

Joesportstalk · Post by **Joesportstalk** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 12:51 pm

swanso5 wrote:yoga generally promotes mobility in the wrong places though

How so? what do you base this statement on?

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Sun Feb 22, 2009 5:40 pm

lots and lots of lumbar hyperextension for one

and all static stretching really does is make you more "tolerant" to static stretching, it doesn't have any carryover to dynamic activities

Packard · Post by **Packard** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 8:36 am

swanso5 wrote:lots and lots of lumbar hyperextension for one

and all static stretching really does is make you more "tolerant" to static stretching, it doesn't have any carryover to dynamic activities

I think this is correct. I used to work out with several professional football players (NY Jets) and they worked on flexibility during the off-season. They were all very flexible, but that did not exempt them from muscle pulls/tears during spring training camp.

I always contended that it was the sudden accelerations during training camp that caused the injuries. It goes back to basic theory that you train the muscles the way you intend to use them.