Warmups and dynamic stretching

[Anthony Winyard]

I recently read an article that advised static stretches shouldn't be done as part of a warmup and are better to do before bed. The article advised that dynamic stretches are what should be included in a warmup.

Just wondered if GST would agree with that advice?

[Coach Sommer]

31 minutes ago, Anthony Winyard said:

I recently read an article that advised static stretches shouldn't be done as part of a warmup and are better to do before bed. The article advised that dynamic stretches are what should be included in a warmup.

Just wondered if GST would agree with that advice?

Nope.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

[Julian Aldag]

12 hours ago, Coach Sommer said:

Nope.

I involve both dynamic and static stretches in my own warmup, however, sport science studies have apparently (haven't read the studies myself) shown a decrease in maximal strength output after static stretching (Which I believe is what Anthony is referring to).

It makes sense not to maximally stretch a muscle ( a dedicated flexibility session) and expect it to be able to output maximum force.  But generally this is not how we train.  If your warm up is you 'warming up' the muscles/tissues, and stretching to help reset your posture, I dont think you will have any problems. Just save the hard stretching til after

@Coach Sommer , would love to hear your thoughts and experience!

 

 

 

[Coach Sommer]

Hi Julian,

Every daily limber should contain a combination of dynamic and static work.

Unfortunately whoever wrote the article is not nearly as sophisticated as yourself and is not attempting to differentiate between the variations of static stretching (e.g. intensity, duration etc).

Instead they simply "threw the baby out with the bath water".  Foolish.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

[Mark Anthony Le]

On 4/27/2017 at 10:18 AM, Coach Sommer said:

Hi Julian,

Every daily limber should contain a combination of dynamic and static work.

Unfortunately whoever wrote the article is not nearly as sophisticated as yourself and is not attempting to differentiate between the variations of static stretching (e.g. intensity, duration etc).

Instead they simply "threw the baby out with the bath water".  Foolish.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

I'm a corrective specialist- and this is too true. I have patients who actually display even more maximal strength output doing static stretching than dynamic. This is not only in weightlifting activities but also in other activities such as Muy Thai and BJJ. 

Each individual is different and should customize it to their own liking. Trial and error. Try it out and experiment for yourself. 

 

[Alexander Egebak]

On 27/4/2017 at 7:37 AM, Julian Aldag said:

I involve both dynamic and static stretches in my own warmup, however, sport science studies have apparently (haven't read the studies myself) shown a decrease in maximal strength output after static stretching (Which I believe is what Anthony is referring to).

It makes sense not to maximally stretch a muscle ( a dedicated flexibility session) and expect it to be able to output maximum force.  But generally this is not how we train.  If your warm up is you 'warming up' the muscles/tissues, and stretching to help reset your posture, I dont think you will have any problems. Just save the hard stretching til after

@Coach Sommer , would love to hear your thoughts and experience!

 

 

 

There are so many facets to this issue.

First of all current evidence based studies are few, and those that exist are using widely different stretching protocols. This will create a mixture of different results with many different variables from study to study.

Second of all, in my experience scientists simply do not know how to "stretch". Short holds, few sets, clinical positions with little consideration to more favorable progressions, little quotes to actual studies or literature that manage to increase flexibility long-term.

Another point is that the connective tissue dogma is not over yet. People are only starting to recognize that we should facilitate neurological changes instead of simply stretching the muscles. Simply, scientists (and many other gurus out there) are still somewhat unaware of how to increase neurological efficiency in the stretch and how to use physiological reflexes to get deeper into the stretch. The current dogmas need to change before the literature will.

Furthermore, the methodology of science requires quantification and isolation of variables. Since everyone has their own unique developmental trajectory in terms of muscle tension patterns it will require different stretching protocols for different people for optimal results. Using the same protocol over a large group of people will simply provide contradictory results no matter how good the protocol is; there will be inconsistency in the studies due to a regression to the means-error. And that is bad science.

These are some of the reasons why the literature says "stretching doesn't work" or "stretching has not effect on sports injuries". Faulty conclusions based on faulty studies. Everyone working with reasonable stretching protocols knows that increasing range of motion and the control of that will carry over to real-life activities. However, it is also true that 3 x 10 seconds of pike holds will have little to no effect on flexibility gains and therefore will not impact sports activities.