Stretching: Before and After?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

Hey i am strength training for basketball. I do a fullbody lifting workout. I stretch all my muscles before I beging my lifting. And then after I am done with my workout, I do the same stretching routine. Is that okay? Will doing so affect my size or strength gains?

I also stretch in the middle of my workouts sometimes. Like right before I am about to do tricep extentions I might stretch my triceps a little bit. Or right after I do lunges I might touch my toes to stretch my hamstrings. Is that okay?

When are the best times to stretch?

(also, is it good to stretch after sprinting/running workout?)

2

Studies have shown that stretching decreases contractile strength. I ahve been writing that for years based on Frank Starling’s Law of Muscle Contraction (using it as a theory for how it would apply to muscle tissue). That means it would be best to warm up the muscles you intend to train by using a lighter weight on the same exercises you plan to do. You can stretch during training or afterwards with that in mind.

3

There are a lot of good stretching articles on this site that you need to read. But basically, do dynamic stretches before workouts and static/PNF post-workout.

Danny

4

its best to do dynamic rom drills as a warm up and static stretching as a cool down

5

Check out this article for the answers you are looking for:

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=639853

6

I just read both articles. But I still dont know what the difference between dynamic and static stretching is. When should I do them? Should I stretch in the middle of my workouts?

7

If you read the articles and the discussions, you should have found the answers to these new questions. The two articles are about static stretching.

He recommends to do them after a warm up of some sort. And to do them as often as YOU feel you need to.

8

Dynamic is movement based, static is not. In other words, in static, you go into a certain stretch and hold for X amount of time.

Stay strong
MR

[quote]Baller1950 wrote:
I just read both articles. But I still dont know what the difference between dynamic and static stretching is. When should I do them? Should I stretch in the middle of my workouts?[/quote]

9

You should do stretching after warming up and prior to your weight lifting training. You can choose from isometric, static (active or passive) or drom but don’t do balistic stretching wich can cause more damage than progress. And dont perform stretching after wight lifing plyometrics. By doing it your time needed for regeneration will rise! Actually stretching after weight lifting will enlarge microtraumas on muscle fibres. After all other acitvities (mma training, running, etc) you can do it without worries…

10

[quote]mdmadmin wrote:
You should do stretching after warming up and prior to your weight lifting training. You can choose from isometric, static (active or passive) or drom but don’t do balistic stretching wich can cause more damage than progress. And dont perform stretching after wight lifing plyometrics. By doing it your time needed for regeneration will rise! Actually stretching after weight lifting will enlarge microtraumas on muscle fibres. After all other acitvities (mma training, running, etc) you can do it without worries…[/quote]

I would suggest dynamic stretches before the workout. Static (like prof says) will lower the amount of power you can use while lifting.