How often do you stretch?

[watching]

I guess stretching is something I never do enough. What is your stretching routine like? Do you stretch every day? For how long? Do you do it first thing in the morning or in the evening?

 

[jobo]

Depends what you mean by stretching really, I have a stretch every morning when I wake up, to wake sleeping muscles, other than that, there's no real need to stretch, unless your trying to address a specific issue. The only purpose of stretching is to increase / maintain mobility, so if you are doing mobility training that's all the stretching you need !

 

[TMA17]

It's best to stretch (I'm told) after warming up or training when muscles are warmed up. Training when not warmed up is not a good thing. I don't stretch nearly enough but I'm about to really start focusing on it. My flexibility is awful. Always has been. And it won't get any better at my age (42)unless I really work on it.

 

[jobo]

It's best to stretch (I'm told) after warming up or training when muscles are warmed up. Training when not warmed up is not a good thing. I don't stretch nearly enough but I'm about to really start focusing on it. My flexibility is awful. Always has been. And it won't get any better at my age (42)unless I really work on it.

Unless you have an issue like an injured muscle that has contracted to protect its self, or muscle wastage, in which case building the muscle rather than stretching it is the answer then a lack of flexibility is a product of your nervous system restricting movement, stretching will do next to nothing to address that, movement, that reprogram your nervous system most probably will. Because movement is what you want for most practical purposes, movement is what you should train ?

 

[TMA17]

I’ve always noticed that doing actual movements is what leads to increasing flexibility, more so than stretching. Is that what you’re saying? A CrossFit guy I know once told me that too.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

I’ve always noticed that doing actual movements is what leads to increasing flexibility, more so than stretching. Is that what you’re saying? A CrossFit guy I know once told me that too.

Not sure what he's saying, but doing dynamic stretching, and practicing the movements helps. I think what he's getting at is if you want to kick high, practice kicking high, so you build the muscles appropriately and can kick high. If he's saying just building muscle will improve flexibility, that's false.

 

[Martial D]

I guess stretching is something I never do enough. What is your stretching routine like? Do you stretch every day? For how long? Do you do it first thing in the morning or in the evening?

Not as much as I should, probably. I generally spend 10 mins before training stretching out.

 

[watching]

I have a Julian Michaels yoga DVD that I do sometimes. I guess that's kind ofnlike stretching.

 

[lansao]

I try to stretch every day. Jumping jacks and a little jump rope, or a quick mile on the treadmill always helps me warm up. I put my heel up on an elevated surface about 5 feet off the ground to stretch my hamstrings and rotate the hip over to open up my hips (Muay Thai trainer taught me this one).

I also sink into a narrow squat (like a frog) while holding a vertical bar for support (side of power rack or something). When I’m down there I use my elbows to push my knees out (again for hips - carry a lot there).

Then I go to dynamic stretching for front kicks starting with chambers only and then including the calf. I like farmer walks and suspending myself from the pull-up bar for opening up my upper body.

I also rotate my head in circles slowly to open up my neck before shaking it all out. Then I just try to stay “tonus” throughout practice.

 

[LastGasp]

I haven't been taught MA in years, but now I have just recently got interested again, I do some stretching before every technique practice session, including (but not exclusive to) 'swing' kicks, straight leg (excuse my lack of knowledge of terminology!), which I start gently with until I feel loose. Being new to it, and no spring chicken, I'm careful not to overdo it, lol.

 

[dvcochran]

I’ve always noticed that doing actual movements is what leads to increasing flexibility, more so than stretching. Is that what you’re saying? A CrossFit guy I know once told me that too.

It certainly helps and is logical to a exercise regimen. But to significantly gain flexibility stretching is required. Think of it this way; if you wanted to build larger biceps then you would do more curls. If you wanted to be able to run 5 miles you would run more. If you wanted to run 5 miles faster then you would run more but you would do it with an emphasis on speed. Stretching for faster/stronger/higher/etc technique is along the same lines.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

What is your stretching routine like? Do you stretch every day? For how long? Do you do it first thing in the morning or in the evening?

You need to stretch your

1. arm - rotate one arm forward while rotate another arm backward, swing arms behind your head, next to your head, ...
2., spine - bend forward, backward, rotate left and right, rotate clockwise/counter-clockwise, ...
3. leg - kick leg back, kick leg sideway, static stretch, dynamic stretch, ...
4. groin - low stance. ...
5. ...

You may want to stretch everyday to develop it. You may only need to stretch 3 times a week to maintain it. It's better to stretch when your body is warm.

 

[Danny T]

I guess stretching is something I never do enough. What is your stretching routine like? Do you stretch every day? For how long? Do you do it first thing in the morning or in the evening?

Dynamic stretching is the thing.
Move in the manner you are wanting to stretch for start lightly and increase the range of movement and the speed as you warm up.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I guess stretching is something I never do enough. What is your stretching routine like? Do you stretch every day? For how long? Do you do it first thing in the morning or in the evening?

Not nearly enough. And it shows. I stretch when I think about it, and I rarely think about it. When I teach classes, I stretch with students before and after class, but rarely do as good a job when I'm just doing my own workout. I'm just not very systematic about it.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Besides MA skill/ability, which one is more important?

1. Strength?
2. endurance?
3. flexibility?

IMO, the flexibility is more important. If you stretch daily, your body can slow down the aging process. When you are 80 and if you can still swing leg over your head, your health condition is much better than average.

 

[TMA17]

Dynamic stretching is the thing.
Move in the manner you are wanting to stretch for start lightly and increase the range of movement and the speed as you warm up.

My flexibility only seems to improve doing it this way.

 

[jobo]

Not sure what he's saying, but doing dynamic stretching, and practicing the movements helps. I think what he's getting at is if you want to kick high, practice kicking high, so you build the muscles appropriately and can kick high. If he's saying just building muscle will improve flexibility, that's false.

I didn't say " just", but it's a simple question of fact that a big, plump juicy muscle that's full of blood, will stretch more or easier, than a withered skinny muscle that nearly dry of, blood. So to that end yes increasing the CSA of the muscle your having trouble with will help a great deal in increasing your mobility/ flexibility,

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I didn't say " just", but it's a simple question of fact that a big, plump juicy muscle that's full of blood, will stretch more or easier, than a withered skinny muscle that nearly dry of, blood. So to that end yes increasing the CSA of the muscle your having trouble with will help a great deal in increasing your mobility/ flexibility,

Last time stretching came up, you said muscles don't actually stretch.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Last time stretching came up, you said muscles don't actually stretch.

His answers arent consistent, nor based in science. But its not worth arguing, IMO, as long as OP notices all the other consistent statements regarding the best way to stretch.

 

[jobo]

Last time stretching came up, you said muscles don't actually stretch.

I think I said you can't stretch them to make them longer, you can increase the csa,/ blood to make them more elastic, if that's not what I said, it's what I meant to say