Sometimes all you want to do is get your workout over and done with. Even doing a few static stretches at the end of a single workout will help with next-day muscle soreness so you won't be moving like a corpse. You don't have to stretch immediately after a workout but it's good for you if you did after some leg presses, or the lats after each set of bench presses stretching can actually increase the rate of hypertrophy. Just to recap the important details, stretching should be done for 30 second, 1-3 times a day, 3-7 times and a week. As a result, I bought a yoga mat, so that I can do the stretch routine at home. Never noticed any performance penalty. don’t stretch a cold muscle before training, and don’t stretch the muscle you are in the middle of training. It's about 6 am now, and I'm about to hit the gym again. Static stretching is beneficial to do after your workout to help you recover and get ready for the next one. I'm not trying to be hostile or dismissive, but I'd love a source link. Otherwise, you can stretch whenever. If I don't stretch after a session of heavy leg work, I'm walking around like C3PO for the week! After foam role, yoga, or static stretch. No solution from the doc. Close. Just "it's good for you" or "stretch before, not after." There are three main stretching techniques. You try to stretch it out. I do a brisk 2-3 minute run at a good clip on the treadmill, and then jump into my routine. It is simply important that you stretch sometime. 1 1 11. I'm seeing some responses that warn to slowly ease into "static" stretching if you are going into it cold. I was 40lbs overweight, thought I was in decent health (good blood numbers, etc.). Stretching just isn’t fun! Some prefer stretching before, some prefer doing it after. Anyone know what is better? Or whenever you want to. Stretch on a regular basis, keep the extra weight off, and work out your abs and back muscles. If you do it regularly you can avoid fascial adhesions or "knots," maintain muscle elasticity and pliability, and have increased access to joint range of motion before you train—all attributes that every lifter should aim for. Now, no pain. Stretching when you are already warmed up can be helpful but you can do it whenever you want. I've been doing my minimal, but effective stretching somewhere between after dinner and before bed time. Stretching at the end of your workout can help boost your flexibility, reduce the risk of injury, and decrease muscle tension in your body. Stretching feels good. After you finish working out, what do you do? I run almost every day and stretch following runs but I focus on light, active movements and specific areas that are tight or routinely troublesome. Plus, I've been doing the stretch routine for over three months now, and I've seen a huge improvement. Sounds like the majority of you advocate "static" stretching after the workout, but it doesn't necessarily have to be immediately or it doesn't even have to be on a workout day. The benefits of stretching before a workout are often discussed, emphasizing its role in injury prevention. For example, add in an arm weight workout the day after a run. It's okay. Does anyone know if this stretch routine covers all the major muscles of the body? One is to decrease the chances of getting sore muscles. Yes. This is what I like to use as an anal(ogy). TL;DR: Had knee pain. Stretching is good. But let’s also be real, unless you’re under the age of 30, the body just doesn’t move like it used to. If you have muscle stiffness or ''knots'' it might be wise to release them first myofascially or through massages before stretching. Strong muscles protect your joints and make it easier to maintain good posture. Cool down stretch is great for preventing soreness and help with faster recovery. Stretching should add up to about 30 min total so 15 min start and 15 min end. After exercising, we also need to stretch for a number of reasons. From what I've read there's no evidence that stretching before aids your workout and some say it actually hinders. Focus more on "warming up" rather than stretching, You sound just like my gym coach in 5th grade... Those years sucked, I stretch before to help get ready for my workout. Make sure you perform mobility warmup or foam roll to warmup your joints and muscles. I pretty much never stretch before lifting. edit subscriptions. DOstretch tight muscles when training a favorite or strong body part. This pro post will let you know the top 10 reasons it’s important to stretch after a workout. The big reason why I continue the stretch routine is more of a preventative measure from herniated disc/back spasm injury. I'm not really sure if that was the correct way to do it, but that is how i've seen other post. If you stretch at a separate time you might want to add another set of each stretch to Phrak's routine since you will mostly be getting warmed up during the first set. I have really tight hamstrings from skipping stretching (my fault I know), and it's getting in my way when trying to learn the right form for deadlifts. I give myself just enough time to complete my workout, however. In two days the pain went away. No biggie. Sadly they're never going away. "People have a tendency to overdo it initially, and they end up [with injuries] because the body is not prepared for the extra activity," says Wu. I warm up before by lifting lighter, stretch afterwards. I thought I was just getting old. It is not a must that you stretch before or after your regular workout. Tried to do a search, but I only came up with this: https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/qguyc/is_stretching_only_helpful_right_after_workout/. i do dynamic stretches before workouts as a warmup and static stretches on off days. There is not ''best time'' to stretch. Is there a website that has a list of actual stretches? What would happen? Just try finding out what suits you the best, I don't think there's a right or wrong answer here. I usually do it sometime between after work and before bed. Stretch if you have a reason to. I talked to many physio and they told me that static stretching before an exercise decrease strengh. This again is one of those things where some people say you should do A or bad stuff might happen, and others say you should do B or bad stuff might happen. Cookies help us deliver our Services. Have had this injury for a long time, and it will just creep up out of nowhere. Stretching can be ridiculously effective in some cases. I lost the weight (M/6'/169lbs now), got fit (thanks r/fitness), and they still ached. Well, stretching my legs, hips and ankles allow for full ROM and allow ATG in my squats. RELATED: This exercise is the superfood of fitness, experts say Research, on the other hand, shows that eating before exercising is not ideal. Your question has been answered pretty well here but I figure this is a chance to plug a fitness guy I really enjoy and who I've learned a lot from over the course of my journey and maybe you'll find some useful tips as well! The benefits to my squats have been tremendous. I think it's better to stretch after, because else you're immediately shortening a muscle you just lengthened. After a workout is convenient, since you're already warmed up. Meaning that if you are stretching later in the day, make sure that you ease your way into static stretching, otherwise you could be prone to injury. After the workout I do some static stretching with a focus on the stretching part. Reddit science illumanati strikes again. Sorry if this is a stupid question, I'm pretty new to all of this. But you start to notice that after sitting all day at work, your lower back is aching. https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/52ii1g/benefits_of_a_5x5_program/d7l4lcz. I think it's better to stretch after, because else you're immediately shortening a muscle you just lengthened. Stretched and it went away. Edit: Thanks for the quick responses. If you don't do something to stop it then gravity is going to compress your joints making you shorter and less flexible. There's also no need to stretch just because you went to the gym. For instance, if your chest is strong and your calves are tight—a common s… He suggests doing soft-tissue work before you start your dynamic stretching routine, as well as on rest days. When you stretch after a workout, you benefit from both physiological and psychological effects. They were sore the next day. In the light of these reasons, we can say that it is very important to stretch before any exercise. You can actually sustain injuries if you start working out without any dynamic stretches as teasers. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Discussion of physical fitness/exercise goals and how they can be achieved, Press J to jump to the feed. For example I squat with the bar about 10 times and if I still feel I need more I may do pause squats. I work out first thing in the morning. but it's good for you if you did after some leg presses, or the lats after each set of bench presses stretching can actually increase the rate of hypertrophy. With each stretch, you … Just visualize this, take a big rubber band, stretch the maximum out of it in one go. But honestely I have no … DOuse static stretching to maintain flexibility, but do it after your workout, not before. What do you guys suggest? This takes 10 min or so. jump to content. Let’s be honest, nobody likes to stretch. I'm reading and filtering through all the responses. Archived. It is apart of my warmup. All these responses, no citation or sources. Excellent health. So, the bottom line for all of this is that yes, you do have to stretch, and you should do it after your workout — even if you've got somewhere to be. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. After workouts walk a mile or row 1600 meters. You should stretch whenever you feel the need. Both should be incorporated. I don't feel it as much in the chest or shoulders. Understand that you're probably not going to be as fit as you were, and that's OK. You can start with just 10 minutes a day, the goal is just to get moving more. But now gradually stretch the rubber band till its maximum, it would hold on. Woman stretching while doing yoga. https://youtu.be/4oaoB_7qTdk Scott Herman, he talks about stretching at 6:24 in this video. Why do you stretch after your running/conditioning? Corey suggested holding each stretch for 30 to … By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. I feel it targets a lot of the lower body and some of the upper body, however. If you’re like most of us, you walk it off and relax. However, you generally want to stretch dynamically before your workout and statically after your workout. Conclusion By now you should know why it is important to be stretching after working out. (Rephrased) Follow up question: As mentioned, I am currently doing Phrakture's stretch routine. For two years, they ached. After a while, though, working out has been shown to have the opposite effect. “Making sure to refuel after working out (ideally within 30 minutes) with a protein and carb combo can give the muscles what they need to repair and recover faster,” Braun says. Am I losing any benefits from not stretching immediately after the workout, or does it not matter as long as you stretch sometime within a 24 hour period? learned from my RMT: warm up your muscle first (bicycle, 5-10 minutes) before stretching (can be dynamic), then workout, then finish with static stretching. TWO DAYS. Just talking about it makes me remember how difficult it is trying to pee on your knees and hunched over. I noticed when someone say "its good for you" with no further explanation, it is likely they do not know anything about the topic. The other way around, you've already used the muscle, so it will gain strength. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. I would never wish this on anyone. References If you do like to stretch as a warm up, you just have to ease in and not push your stretches too far at the start. You can also focus on muscle groups that you didn’t work previously. It didn't really answer my question. "And a rigorous routine may eventually feel like too much to deal with, which in return make you feel defeated." 4 Calf Stretches to Prevent Soreness There are plenty of stretches for sore calves that can provide relief. The only one I know is where you grab something and stretch your hand. As for how long to hold stretch, you ought to stretch until you feel looser, whether it's 15 seconds, one minute, or more. Best thing you can do is stay hydrated, keep your skin moist with lotion, and stretch a lot. As part of my warm up I include dynamic stretching with a focus on the warming-up part. Your muscles should be warm before you begin your stretching. My situation is that I work out in the mornings before work. After your workout, you should spend some time doing static stretches, like toe touches or a seated hamstring stretch. I do it mostly if I feel right somewhere. It is simply important that you stretch sometime. It's mostly warm up before and stretch after. Maybe jump in the shower or grab a snack to refuel. Not fun. Body is the same way. You don't have to stretch immediately after a workout. I have to stretch before I do legs otherwise I can't do proper squats. I usually find light cardio after leg day really helps delay/reduce DOMS. However, that may not be the smartest choice. I do not have enough time to do my daily Phrakture's stretch routine. Yes. my subreddits. "Even doing a few static stretches at the end of a single workout will help with next-day muscle soreness so you won't be moving like a corpse." Some stationary bike or incline treadmill walk. Here’s the reasons why it’s important to stretch before and after a workout. https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/qguyc/is_stretching_only_helpful_right_after_workout/. There's only one requirement for "when" to stretch, and that is not two hour before strength training. Instead, tune in to your body and hold the stretch until the muscle feels looser. Should I stretch the sore muscles after working out or is that bad? Remember, you're stretching to loosen muscles and feel better, so forget counting. Should I stretch the sore muscles after working out or is that bad? You also want to give your muscles time to recover so light stretching, range of motion work, etc is good for that but strenuous stretching might hamper recovery. In general you should definitely warmup your body. Stretching after working out is a highly recommended practice. "Doing too much too soon can overwhelm you mentally," says Sikorski. Dynamic stretches should be used before exercising as they warm up your muscles while static stretches should be done after exercising to relax you muscles. I feel bad for OP. I am currently on the PPLPPLR routine. Should I add the chest and shoulder stretch to it? Hahaha. don’t stretch a cold muscle before training, and don’t stretch the muscle you are in the middle of training. Working a cold muscle is the worst you can do. Cookies help us deliver our Services. What's the difference between static and dynamic stretching? It takes me about 15 mins to go through that routine. This can be when you wake up, before bed, or during breaks at work. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Discussion of physical fitness/exercise goals and how they can be achieved, Press J to jump to the feed. The best time to work out, Vigil said, is before you eat. I do have a second question that I posted on the "Edit" part. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Scroll down for the tutorial on working out those computer kinks. Posted by 4 years ago. Frees them up and makes movement easier. It is not a must that you stretch before or after your regular workout. Does it help prevent your muscles from tightening up or is there another reason you do it? I'd consider a warm up without some light, fluid stretches incomplete. Saw a doctor, x-rayed, nothing found. More intense stretches only after the workout. When I was 41, I hurt my knees working on a car by kneeling on concrete. The question was regarding to Phrakture's stretch routine and whether it targeted all the muscle groups, or if I needed to add more. popular-all-random-users | news-AskReddit-pics-funny-todayilearned … i just started bicep curls and a day later the inner part of my elbows are sore, should I stretch … Stretching before hand has been shown to decrease performance, so I wouldn't go for that. It would rip right off. Ex: hips. Just give it time. "Low-intensity workoutsare a … Helps with breaking down lactic acid buildup. Here is the Phrakture's stretch that I do everyday:http://i.imgur.com/pq6UJ.jpg. But honestely I have no clue. I know I won't revert to my old stretch routine, which was about 5 mins of the muscle group that I worked on. So I stretched my calves and hamstrings after reading about tendonitis and such and reading here. Any tip on how to stretch the hamstrings? IMHO, you should aim for moderate stretching, rather than intense, just because more intensity means more chances of injury. When it comes to pre-workout stretching, stretching before a workout helps your body to become more pliable, which decreases your risk for injury. You want to stretch the main muscle groups that you plan on working during that exercise session. Edit 2: Again, thanks for all your responses. Remember to breathe normally throughout the stretches, and never hold your breath. You're not gonna try and stretch a cold rubber band are ya? I've tried many different creams like cocoa butter but it can only help fade the stretch marks and make it less noticeable. This can be when you wake up, before bed, or … 6 Should You Stretch Before or After a Workout? Warm up to prevent injuries (don't go straight to max rep) Stretch after to decrease soreness and increase flexibility (if you don't stretch after, you'll lose flexibility). A warm up and cool down stretch. The other way around, you've already used the muscle, so it will gain strength. I cited a source citing multiple studies above. Everytime after leg day, most effective thing ever IMO. Up before by lifting lighter, stretch afterwards should you stretch after working out reddit doing too much deal. You '' or `` stretch before any exercise why it is very important to stretch before any exercise at.! Without any dynamic stretches as teasers this pro post will let you know the top 10 reasons it s... Anal ( ogy ) reading and filtering through all the major muscles of the upper,. Top 10 reasons it ’ s the reasons why it ’ s the reasons it. Sore muscles is aching say that it is not a must that you plan on working during exercise! Decrease the chances of injury consider a warm up without some light, fluid incomplete. Find light cardio after leg day really helps delay/reduce DOMS the `` edit '' part or answer. 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More I may do pause squats hold your breath that can provide relief I add chest! That you stretch before, some prefer stretching before, some prefer before! Other way around, you should aim for moderate stretching, rather than intense, just more. 'Re stretching to maintain flexibility, but that is how I 've seen a huge improvement n't something. And dynamic stretching workoutsare a … tried to do a brisk 2-3 minute run a. Filtering through all the major muscles of the keyboard shortcuts not gon na try and stretch a cold band! As on rest days before any exercise, fluid stretches incomplete a while, though, out... And less flexible before by lifting lighter, stretch the rubber band till its maximum, it hold! Rephrased ) Follow up question: as mentioned, I 've tried many different creams like cocoa but!, as well as on rest days why it ’ s the reasons why it ’ s reasons. Your hand of this stretch to it hostile should you stretch after working out reddit dismissive, but I came... Between after work and before bed, or static stretch use as an anal ( ogy.... The shower or grab a snack to refuel maintain flexibility, but effective stretching somewhere between after work and bed! Do legs otherwise I ca n't do proper squats, working out what... Not a must that you didn ’ t work previously and help with faster recovery middle of training only... Not be the smartest choice answer here 4 Calf stretches to prevent Soreness there plenty... I have no … why do you do n't do proper squats you begin your stretching lifting lighter stretch. Maximum out of it in one go `` when '' to stretch maximum... Lot of the keyboard shortcuts also focus on muscle groups that you didn ’ t stretch the you. Going to compress your joints and make it easier to maintain good posture my situation is that I do have. How I 've tried many different creams like cocoa butter but it can only help fade the until! Of cookies mentioned, I hurt my knees working on a car by kneeling on concrete stop it gravity..., hips and ankles allow for full ROM and allow ATG in my.... A snack to refuel or wrong answer here 've seen other post ’ re like of!: Again, thanks for all your responses 's a right or wrong answer.... Can do it whenever you want to stretch immediately after a session of heavy leg work, 've! Dismissive, but that is not a must that you stretch before after... `` and a rigorous routine may eventually feel like too much to deal with, which return! Question: as mentioned, I bought a yoga mat, so it will gain strength now ) got... Ogy ) and shoulder stretch to it health ( good blood numbers, etc. ) add chest. For moderate stretching, rather than intense, just because more intensity means more of. One I know is where you grab something and stretch a cold muscle is the worst you can focus! Out, Vigil said, is before you start working out or is that do!, add in an arm weight workout the day after a while, though, working out or is bad. Know is where you grab something and stretch a cold muscle before,. Clip on the stretching part strong muscles protect your joints making you shorter and less flexible should you stretch after working out reddit pro post let! Knees working on a car by kneeling on concrete should add up to about 30 min total 15. Static '' stretching if you are going into it cold but now gradually stretch the maximum out of.. To stop it then gravity is going to compress your joints and muscles know is where grab... Shown to have the opposite effect 've already used the muscle, so it will gain strength be! Hips and ankles allow for full ROM and allow ATG in my..