Stretching

[klcarbaugh]

What stretches does everyone do?

I do the indigenous peoples stretch (from Mark's Daily Apple) and just stretch whatever is sore. I try to move around a lot and do twisting lunges and spiderman crawls before I work out.

Should I be doing more or is that an old myth?

[BarbeyGirl]

Good question.

I keep reading how it's not wise to stretch cold muscles (before a workout), but you should stretch after a workout. However, I don't know whether this is true, or just more CW BS. My SO, who is an Ironman triathlete, stretches before working out. Always has. Seems to work for him -- the git can run a 5 minute mile! ;) Go figure.

Confession: I don't do much stretching at all. A few sun salutations after a workout to loosen up my back, and that's about it. I should probably do more...flexibility is a good thing, particularly for those rare occasions when I make unscheduled dismounts from my horses!

[pkafka]

This is indeed a good question. When I was playing tennis, and the threat of a pulled muscle loomed, I was constantly stretchng my hamstrings and quads... And I mean constantly!

But now, I rarely stretch. I never really feel the need. My body is sore sometimes from lifting, but I am never "tight"

I think it is important to go by feel, stretch what and when you need to. One thing I lie about stretching is that it reminds me that everything is connected - when my back is sore, stretching my hamstrings really loosens it up, etc...

-pk

[62shelby]

PK, check out www.yinyoga.com......this is one type of yoga especially good for getting into the connective tissue and releasing tightness. you hold seated poses with RELAXED muscles, not at your 'edge', but very comfortably/loosely and stay there for about three minutes or more, but three minutes is a good place to start. you will feel the quality or texture of the pose alter over time. I call it TV yoga as if youre not into the spiritual aspect of it, you can sit on the floor in front of a movie or whatever and stretch for an hour. This is the only type of stretching I would do prior to hard exercise, you can feel the flush of blood deep in areas you have stretched.