Can anyone help with suggestions as to how to incorporate a seperate daily stretching routine into my programme?
Will stretching in the morning be more beneficial as i train afternoons?
This is a necessity as posture has became affected through tightness especially in hip flexors and hamstrings which i assume are going to take a while to correct!
Has anyone tried yoga as an active rest session on their off day from training and if so has this been beneficial/detrimental to them?
I have done stretching and foam rolling etc to loosen up problem areas such as hips, shoulders, chest. I compiled some stuff into a document. PM me if you’d like a copy.
I’m from the strength sport circle and I stretch thoroughly right before AND after training. Legs and hips every session, even when I’m only doing upper body lifts. It’s that important.
To answer your question directly: Morning stretching is a good idea; go do that. However, don’t forget to stretch right after your training as well, at least the muscle groups you trained.
It doesn’t really matter when you stretch as long as you do it. If you are trying to open up a musclegroup then you really need it every day.
Yes I’ve tried yoga on off days, and it’s definitely an aid to recovery. My off days now include a short easy jog with some stretched with a few yoga moves incorporated.
While I’ve never been the biggest fan of stretching in the past, since a lower back injury a few years ago, I always have to loosen up the area on leg and back days. BUT, what I really want to point out (really all I can contribute to this thread), is that during this past year, I spent a lot of time foam rolling my quads, always a weak point for me as a bodybuilder. In that year’s time, the detail evident in my overall quad development onstage jumped remarkably. I fully believe that the rolling played a crucial part in that.
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Thanks guys, some great info there!
Defo gonna make it an integral part of my daily routine!
i do yoga really often, if you can find a class that is low intesity like hatha yoga its awesome for recovery, and ashtanga yoga is the best warmup or cooldown there is for your money. after doing some sun salutations it will feel like you invented the deadlift. overall great for posture no matter what tho if you have a good teacher.
Furthermore, not that anyone is saying the contrary in this thread (very civilised discussion going on):
There are NOT two binary activities of stretching/exercise.
Weightlifting will provide an excellent stretch, done through a full ROM. A strict lunge: excellent for the hips.
Also, due to the principle or ‘reciprocal inhibition’, I have found that doing rear delt flyes with very good form for multiple sets of 30 reps per day is the best possible cure for a tight chest. By contracting the rear delts, the chest must relax.