Stretching

[hoosegow]

Maybe this is just a matter of opinion, but why is stretching important? Here is my line of thinking. You stretch to increase flexibility. But other than gymnists, why would anyone care about being flexible? What is the benefit?

[TimD]

Hi Hoosgow. LOLOL, I understand your questioning. When you get up to my age, 57, you start appreciating things like flexibility. There are mornings that I'm so stiff, I doubt my legs will even bend. I can't even think about moving, let along working out. Now, I hate stretching, and rarely do it, but I do ease into exercise complexes, and this seems to do the job quite wekk
Tim

[Ryan A]

Well, range of motion is a good thing. Now, flexibility might not give you strength in that range of motion but it can help you get started in that direction.

In other cases, if you are participating in sport, you may get shoved in a position you don't train in for strength but if you are flexible in that position you might come away with lesser injuries or no injuries at all.

[hoosegow]

57? Was the Grand Canyon just a ditch when you visited it as a little boy? ;)

I understand having to warm up and I ease into my workouts as well. Yoga style stretching and such I just don't see any benefit to it because I don't see any benefit in being flexible. At least for the average male. Now a flexible woman is just hot.

Merry Christmas guys. May God bless and keep everyone of you safe.

[TimD]

LOLOL, yepper, the Grand Canyon was a little water running over the desert when was a yung'un. Anyway, merry Christmas to all, and God bless.
Tim

[Matt Z]

Flexibility is very important in Martial Arts, not only for flashy high kicks, but also for grappling. Having done both Jujitsu and Judo I can tell you that flexibility can often mean the difference between slipping out of a lock or hold, and loosing a match. Likewise if you're flexible you can pull off offensive moves that you otherwise wouldn't be able to manage.

[Matt Z]

PS.) Merry Christmas

[TimD]

Hi Matt, you are absolutely right for sports applications. I don't know if Hoosegow (what a name, reminds me of when I had to do a day in jail, they all called it the Hoosegow) has any. I wrestled in college, and it was an absolute must. I watched "Toad " slip out of a hold because his shoulder girdle was so flexible. This guy was 5 foot 6 dieted down to 198, in layman's terms, he was huge, and when I saw him slip his shoulders, I was flabbergasted. Do you need to practice it everyday, well, I doubt it, but if you are into a sport requiring it, then yes.
Tim

[Stephen Johnson]

http://ajsm.highwire.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/2/173

The purpose of this intervention study was to prove that increasing flexibility of the hamstring musculotendinous unit would decrease the number of lower extremity overuse injuries that occur in military infantry basic trainees. Two different companies going through basic training at the same time were used. Hamstring flexibility was checked at the beginning and at the end of the 13-week infantry basic training course. The control company (N = 148) proceeded through normal basic training. The intervention company (N = 150) followed the same program but added three hamstring stretching sessions to their already scheduled fitness program. All subsequent lower extremity overuse injuries were recorded through the troop medical clinic. Hamstring flexibility increased significantly in the intervention group compared with the control group. The number of injuries was also significantly lower in the intervention group. Forty-three injuries occurred in the control group for an incidence rate of 29.1%, compared with 25 injuries in the intervention group for an incidence rate of 16.7%. Thus, in this study, the number of lower extremity overuse injuries was significantly lower in infantry basic trainees with increased hamstring flexibility.

The relevance of this study to people engaged in physical activity is obvious

[Ironman]

I stretch after my workout. In my opinion it lowers my risk of injury.

[hoosegow]

Bingo on the reference Tim.

[quadfrog]

In the documentary Pumping Iron, didn't Arnold stress the importance of stretching during workouts as a stimulus for muscle cell growth? Like Tim D, I must spend a good 30 minutes stretching to avoid serious injury, especially on my heavy days. I am 56 and have lifted since age 13. My favorite warm-up method is 5-8 minutes on my Concept 2 Indoor Rower. I keep it in my finished attic (it is extremely long) and it gives both upper and lower body a good pre-workout pump.

[TimD]

Hi Quadfrog. Where did you find the concept 2? I've head of this thing, but have never been able to find one. When I was cotracted out by the Navy, we had these rowing type of machines that really would loosen you up, Kind of an ergometer type of tyhing
Tim

[Stephen Johnson]

Hi Quadfrog. Where did you find the concept 2? I've head of this thing, but have never been able to find one. When I was cotracted out by the Navy, we had these rowing type of machines that really would loosen you up, Kind of an ergometer type of tyhing

https://www2.concept2.com/VIA/index.jsp

[quadfrog]

As you can see on the link, Tim, these things are pricey. I got mine at a yard sale in an upper-income suburban (yuppie) neighborhood. The woman of the house, who was tanning herself during the yard sale, accepted my $200 offer, saying she was "tired of having that ugly thing" in her home. I literally ran down the street with it on my shoulder, jumping and clicking my athletic heels. Used ones on Ebay go for $500 in a heart beat. I have added some accessories over the years. I don't believe there is a cardio machine that is more effective, except the old Norditrack skier. Those things required more skill than effort.