Why Pre-Workout Stretching is BAD!!!

[kx250rider]

Interesting article, and it's not the first time I had heard that. I confess, I was taught to stretch as part of the warmup, but I to get pulls and strains now & then, despite. My father-in-law is a marathon runner, and lifts also (age 76!!). He swears by not stretching until he's warmed up, and he's the type to read everything that gets published on any subject he's interested in. Must be something to this....

What about stretching during the work-out when your muscles are warmed up? Ie: in between sets.

I often do that to prevent spasms/cramps; particularly in biceps after a set of heavy curls.

Charles

 

[stevesmi]

warmup before. do not stretch.

you are welcome to stretch after though. charles your father is correct. stretching before running is a bad idea.

there are different circumstances though.. for example: if you are gonna play tackle football yeah you need to warm up AND stretch, you are being turned every which way.. bent in every which direction.

 

[miplank]

 

[ryno9000]

Yeah - but it doesn't say "why," and the article relates to running injuries, not lifting.

Also, I always stretch in between sets, or at least when it feels I "need" to. Never had one lifting related injury, not one.

I'm not saying it's "wrong," I'm just saying I think it needs more concrete evidence before you can say it's a "rule."

I hate stretching anyway.

 

[b fold the truth]

Let your warmup sets be your warmup.

I agree. I had this conversation with one of the guys at my gym today, though, as he spent 20 minutes stretching and warming up his entire body before squats.

When he does squats he does:
Body Weight x bunch
45 x 6
95 x 6
135 x 6
175 x 6 x 4 sets

When I squatted last week I did:
BW x 5
50 x 3
140 x 2
230 x 1
320 x 1
410 x 1
500 x 1
550 x 5
638.5 x 5
728.5 x 7 (PR)

The difference here is that it only took him 3 sets before he was at his training weight where it took me 9 to get to my training set. He has a much greater need for more non-lifting warm-up than I do.

Same on Deadlifts. Often my work set is my 10-12th set where his work set may be his 4-6th.

 

[jiggagold]

I always stretch my hips during sets of squats and deadlifts. Most people have tight hips which can lead to poor form or one side working harder than the other. My left hip is tighter than my right so I stretch my left hip to keep it balanced with my left so when I squat or dead both sides are balanced and working equally.

 

[miplank]

bump

 

[ryno9000]

I agree. I had this conversation with one of the guys at my gym today, though, as he spent 20 minutes stretching and warming up his entire body before squats.

When he does squats he does:
Body Weight x bunch
45 x 6
95 x 6
135 x 6
175 x 6 x 4 sets

When I squatted last week I did:
BW x 5
50 x 3
140 x 2
230 x 1
320 x 1
410 x 1
500 x 1
550 x 5
638.5 x 5
728.5 x 7 (PR)

The difference here is that it only took him 3 sets before he was at his training weight where it took me 9 to get to my training set. He has a much greater need for more non-lifting warm-up than I do.

Same on Deadlifts. Often my work set is my 10-12th set where his work set may be his 4-6th.

First of all, that is massive weight, congrats on your PR!

A few questions. First, I don't understand what you meant when you said he (the other guy) has a much greater need for more non-lifting warm ups than you do. What do you mean by this? Why? Couldn't his progressions have been as numerous as yours, just not as big of jumps in weight? I'm not arguing, I really am curious what you meant because it wasn't 100% clear in your post. I'd like to learn.

Also - I notice you tac 2.5s to the normal progression of plates on each of your sets. Is there a reason behind that, or just what you have found is a good progression for you? I can only imagine seeing 5 plates on each side and then a 2.5, and you're still doing warm ups! It's scary and silly at the same time!

 

[b fold the truth]

First of all, that is massive weight, congrats on your PR!

A few questions. First, I don't understand what you meant when you said he (the other guy) has a much greater need for more non-lifting warm ups than you do. What do you mean by this? Why? Couldn't his progressions have been as numerous as yours, just not as big of jumps in weight? I'm not arguing, I really am curious what you meant because it wasn't 100% clear in your post. I'd like to learn.

Also - I notice you tac 2.5s to the normal progression of plates on each of your sets. Is there a reason behind that, or just what you have found is a good progression for you? I can only imagine seeing 5 plates on each side and then a 2.5, and you're still doing warm ups! It's scary and silly at the same time!

My training partner (we don't get to train together often) SHOULD do more warm up weights but as beginner it often just doesn't happen. A lot of his lack of strength is technical since he is a beginner (he did front squat 220 x 1 on his 8th work set today). He could do a lot more sets...but most people don't and I don't think he really needs it...especially if he is doing multiple sets with the same weight...as he did in that particular workout. Let's say you wanted to do a high rep training session with more volume and less weight...like my speed bench session today.

Flat Bench:
45 x 3 x 3 sets
add short black bands
2 sets of 3
135 x 3 x 2 sets
205 x 3 x 8 sets, 45 sec rest between sets
(then I added my shirt and boards)

I didn't get A LOT of working warm ups in before I was already at 205 + bands yet too much work on the bench would have had me dead before I got to my first speed set (which they aren't difficult). I did some light stretching, band tricep punch downs, band presses, shoulder dislocates, etc...

Not really saying it's right...just something to consider with beginners or with people not using near as much weight on exercises. Heck...shoulder pressing could be another great example... Tricky muscles often injured yet you don't use tons of weight and you can get to a max weight fast if you are new to doing them.

As far as my weights...my squat bar is a 50 pound bar (extra long and thick) so the numbers are a little different than the norm. My bar before it was 52 pounds...lol.

 

[Roofus]

Not sure I can agree with the notion of no stretching prior to lifting.

However, there is a correct procedure which should NEVER start with static stretches. Prior to a work out with cold muscles one should use ballistic and dynamic stretches to warm up muscles. After several minutes of ballistic and/or dynamic stretching one can transition into static stretching.

You NEVER want to do static stretching first. And as others have suggested, if you want to be even safer, a 3-5min warm up on the bike/treadmill/elliptical before starting into ballistic/dynamic and then static stretching is good too.