Cat amongst the pigeons?

Mike S

OK ladies and gents, I'll just give you the URL:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2221716.stm

and retire to a safe distance.

Mike S (a reluctant post-run stretcher)

WildWill

Whatever is said I will still continue to stretch after training because I believe I get benefit from it as part of my post workout regime – stretch – warm down – ice – warm bath

I think the thing is do what works for you as an individual – I feel stretch helps reduce soreness and lengthen muscle fibres thus increasing my flexibility thus improving my performance and overall well being )

Well that’s my thoughts on the subject

Will

Scotty4

From my own personal experience I agree with the article. I would be a lot happier though if they stressed that the research applied to athletes, instead of just casually mentioning it.

Anyone starting out on the path to fitness MUST stretch to avoid injury and pain. After a year of running I don't, as I have found it is no longer beneficial.

[Deleted User]

Broadly I think the article is pants.

Surely there are other benefits to stretching e.g. loosening tightened tendons, flexibility etc i.e. stretching muscles may not avoid injury to muscles but is surely relevant to overall physiological health.

Redhead

I don't stretch before but I do stretch afterwards. Being a relative newcomer to running, I've found that my legs ache less if I stretch so I shall continue to do so. In the words of MartinH.....pants to the article!

[Deleted User]

Martin has I think hit the nail on the head - pants, indeed!

There's lots of good reasons for stretching which all runners know from experience - in my case, I have to stretch every time (afterwards mainly, but also before speed sessions if I feel particularly sore) otherwise my stride length would be significantly compromised. I nowadays always do sets of stretches and by the second set my muscles are quite simply longer, which is what I want – if that isn’t a benefit, I don’t know what is.

Quite the opposite of what the article says, I find that not stretching will always contribute to greater muscle soreness and will noticeably inhibit performance in my next day’s work-out. It stands to reason that short, tight muscles are going to give you more gyp than long, stretched muscles.

Don't you hate those articles/studies that take a minor statistical observation (about soldiers, for heaven's sake!) and extrapolate major "controversial" findings from the data?!!

[Deleted User]

Sorry people, but I hope that they're nice fresh, clean pants.
I stretch very little but warm up & cool down loads & believe that the activity of runnung will stretch my muscles enough to the job of running. There is other research to surport another statistic, that stretching can cause more injuries than it prevents, I dare say there is also research to prove the opposite.
With stretching it's each to there own, if it suits you then do it, if not then don't. So carry on stretching my running friends but bear this in mind.
Does a Lion or any other carnivore sretch before the chase or do they warm up before sprinting off on after their prey?
PM

[Deleted User]

Er....yes, cheetahs stretch and warm up. So do cat's before chasing pidgeons.

If it's good enough for them...its good enough for me.

Seriously though, bad stretching is probably worse than no stretching at all, and I favour making the pre-run warm up a nice and easy "loosen up" followed by a gentle first mile. Post run stretching works for me the same as achillies.

Sorry to stretch the point. Let's not get too highly (ham)strung up about it.

Gavin

Gavin