Vindication - Stretching Is Bad For You
I knew it! See, I always knew there was a reason that I didn’t stretch, and it didn’t have anything to do with me being lazy and really hating to stretch. It’s because it isn’t good for you! Woooooooo.
The New York Times has an article showing how bad stretching is. Yay.
WHEN DUANE KNUDSON, a professor of kinesiology at California State University, Chico, looks around campus at athletes warming up before practice, he sees one dangerous mistake after another. “They’re stretching, touching their toes. . . . ” He sighs. “It’s discouraging.”
Couldn’t agree more. I can’t stand stretching. Part of me realizes this is because I am not good at stretching and am about as flexible as a 2×4.
Researchers now believe that some of the more entrenched elements of many athletes’ warm-up regimens are not only a waste of time but actually bad for you. The old presumption that holding a stretch for 20 to 30 seconds — known as static stretching — primes muscles for a workout is dead wrong. It actually weakens them.
That’s right. It *WEAKENS* them. I don’t need any help being weak. Perhaps I have always known that stretching will cause my to run slower, but maybe I am just lazy. I’ll have to think about that some more.
In a recent study conducted at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, athletes generated less force from their leg muscles after static stretching than they did after not stretching at all. Other studies have found that this stretching decreases muscle strength by as much as 30 percent. Also, stretching one leg’s muscles can reduce strength in the other leg as well, probably because the central nervous system rebels against the movements.
30% is an awful lot to give up. That’s got to be worth an hour or maybe 2 or 3 in a marathon. Or maybe less. You do the math.
Several times I have tried to start a stretching regime, and always give it up, because the next day I feel tighter than before I stretched. I often thought I must be doing it wrong. But it turns out that is exactly what happens:
“There is a neuromuscular inhibitory response to static stretching,” says Malachy McHugh, the director of research at the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. The straining muscle becomes less responsive and stays weakened for up to 30 minutes after stretching, which is not how an athlete wants to begin a workout.
I’ve extrapolated that 30 minutes until the next morning, because it is always what happens to me.
But I do like to stretch my calfs. Show me an escalator and I’ll show you a guy stretching a calf the whole ride up regardless of if I have 10 suitcases to worry about or none.
A 2002 study of collegiate volleyball players found that those who’d warmed up and then sat on the bench for 30 minutes had lower backs that were stiffer than they had been before the warm-up.
Now I am not a really tall attractive girl, so you know I can’t play volleyball, but I think the principal is the same. Never stretch. Never.
My take has always been to do some light jogging and then just go for it, and I’ve been lucky enough to stay mostly injury free and occasionally run fast every now and then. If I started stretching, I would be more flexible (in theory) but slower.
For anyone out there who is actually flexible, do you ever reach the point where stretching is enjoyable? I enjoy stretching my calfs, but hate to stretch my hamstrings, mostly because I am so bad at it. Maybe if I could touch my toes I’d get a new stretching high or something that would keep me going.
Anyone have any tips for me?
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Thanks. That was funny…..well your take on it was. The report makes sense to me. I learned that stretching should be done AFTER you warm up…not before. I don’t have any spare energy to use up before trying to do 26.2.
Hope your runs are going well.
Great article, and it does have an extraordinarily excellent point. You should never stretch when your core temperature is low because it does initiate the golgi-tendon response which can lead to injury. However, once core temperature is raised (like once your workout is over) it is quite safe to stretch. You only have to hold stretches for 10-30 seconds and never stretch to the point of discomfort…enjoy.
I do that one where you put one leg over the other and touch your toes because I’ve had IT band issues in the past, and it’s helped loosen them up a bit.
I usually do a big routine before a race. Stretch the calves, quads, hamstrings, hips, and even shoulders and arms. This weekend, I think I’ll try stretching about 45 minutes prior to the race, and I’ll let you know if I noticed any difference.
For me, the stretching gets me prepared mentally. It’s sort of a nervous habit as well.
I think the goal should be to “stay loose” and just try to relax muscles before and after running.
The only thing I definitely stretch is the calves as well. I read somewhere that the calves were the only muscle group that benefited from static stretching without a peroper warm up. Tight calves also seem to be a sort of gateway to injury elsewhere.
My routine is pretty much a calf stretch, a light warm-up and a conservative first half mile. Maybe a little self-massage in any tight spots before a race. Sometimes a foam roller for the ITB or calves after.
And running most days, even if only a little bit. Staying moving = staying loose.
I’m officially sold on the “no stretching” argument. I ran 3:59:34 today without stretching, which is the fastest I’ve run in months. I did stretch after the race, and am excited about how great my legs feel. Thanks for this well-timed article and post!
There are specific stretches that help specific things for runners. Lots of ITB issues can be avoided with stretching in that area, and shin splints (and resulting stress fractures) can be reduced by stretching the calves.
I agree with Mama Jean and Melanie. The article was pointing out that stretching BEFORE the race wasn’t such a great idea. I’ve always kind of thought this as it seems that I’ve done too many “tweaks” trying to stretch a cold back.
I think that if you don’t stretch after runs, you’re extremely lucky mechanically speaking. I think that most running injuries are because of inadequate or improper post-run stretching.
Thank you. You have helped someone more than you could know.