Re: Poll - Multiple answers can be made in the poll - select all that apply.
I have heard people say it's better to stretch before workout and others say it is better to stretch during/after workouts.
I have also heard people say stretching before is a good way to hurt yourself.
I have always believed stretching before workout is better and have swum better.
I wanted to get your feedback and links if any supporting your views.
Thanks
Is there really any evidence that stretching of an kind is really beneficial? It seems like everything I read says it's worthless. So my vote is for no stretching unless someone can convince me otherwise. Even then I probably won't stretch. :cane:
Jim Thornton and I recently had this conversation, with him opining that stretching is useless.
Here's what the Mayo Clinic says: www.mayoclinic.com/.../HQ01447
And yoga, which includes stretching, is likewise beneficial: www.livestrong.com/.../
It's hard for me to see how having tight muscles is a good situation. A lot of people with lower back pain often just have tight muscles. Swimming is a sport where flexibility is paramount. Try doing SDKs with a tight back and hips ... Try doing fly or rotating properly on backstroke with a tight back, hips, and core ... Try kicking fast without flexible ankles ... (As for shoulders, I do admit that I rarely stretch them except for whatever residual stretching is in a yoga pose, because of my concern about further stretching the tendons.)
FWIW, my own stretching routine consists of brikram yoga (because of its focus on spinal strengthening, spinal-back-leg flexibility and balance) and these stretches: forums.usms.org/blog.php
Is there really any evidence that stretching of an kind is really beneficial? It seems like everything I read says it's worthless. So my vote is for no stretching unless someone can convince me otherwise. Even then I probably won't stretch. :cane:
Jim Thornton and I recently had this conversation, with him opining that stretching is useless.
Here's what the Mayo Clinic says: www.mayoclinic.com/.../HQ01447
And yoga, which includes stretching, is likewise beneficial: www.livestrong.com/.../
It's hard for me to see how having tight muscles is a good situation. A lot of people with lower back pain often just have tight muscles. Swimming is a sport where flexibility is paramount. Try doing SDKs with a tight back and hips ... Try doing fly or rotating properly on backstroke with a tight back, hips, and core ... Try kicking fast without flexible ankles ... (As for shoulders, I do admit that I rarely stretch them except for whatever residual stretching is in a yoga pose, because of my concern about further stretching the tendons.)
FWIW, my own stretching routine consists of brikram yoga (because of its focus on spinal strengthening, spinal-back-leg flexibility and balance) and these stretches: forums.usms.org/blog.php
