Stretching- which ones, and how long?

Hi

I'm very new to gymnastics, and ring training (haven't bought my rings yet, making do with an old iron gym)

I'v only started getting in to sport in general very recently, and from years of playing on the computer, I'm very stiff!

Can anyone recommend any good stretches for me to do, currently I can't even touch my toes, so I'v been doing Semi closed Straddle, and closed pike, as they are the areas that seem most important in terms of flexibility.

How long should I spend stretching, in a one hour sessions (I do 4 a week), and what is dynamic stretching- and is it better than conventional stretching (I'm 16 by the way, I'v heard that dynamic stretching is for older persons training.)

Thanks

Well hello there!

I'll let someone else set out stuff for you, but I'll just say that dynamic stretching isn't for old people

Static stretching, coupled with PNF, is (in my opinion) the fastest way to gain flexibility. I don't really think dynamic stretching helps overall flexibility that much. It's usually done before exercise in a warm up because static stretching has been shown to make a muscle temporarily weaker.

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I disagree with you, PNF stretching is only for 18 y. o. or older people, because till that age, your body is still growing and he could damage his tendons and ligaments with PNF stretching, doing that type of stretching when you're younger than 18 is in my opinion hazarding with health of your muscles and soft tissue.

You can also do dynamic stretching, it's not for older people, PNF is.

By the way, if you are not stretching yet, start with this template http://agt.degreesofclarity.com/stretching/

Do it everyday, it takes about 17 minutes to run trough, remember to relax your muscles during stretching.

Thanks allot for that stretching routine- I'll start following it tomorrow, at the moment I'm designing my strength routine- taking longer than expected!

Evilllamas said:

Thanks allot for that stretching routine- I'll start following it tomorrow, at the moment I'm designing my strength routine- taking longer than expected!

Good luck with that

You can also start a log to share your training routines and feelings from workouts, it helps in the long run, and also, you can ask somebody with more experience to have a look at your routines when you have a log.

Falcon said:

I disagree with you, PNF stretching is only for 18 y. o. or older people, because till that age, your body is still growing and he could damage his tendons and ligaments with PNF stretching, doing that type of stretching when you're younger than 18 is in my opinion hazarding with health of your muscles and soft tissue.

You can also do dynamic stretching, it's not for older people, PNF is.

By the way, if you are not stretching yet, start with this template http://agt.degreesofclarity.com/stretching/

Do it everyday, it takes about 17 minutes to run trough, remember to relax your muscles during stretching.

I don't know whether you know this or not, Falcon, but PNF and Isometric are not strictly the same. Isometrics tend to be LONG, "spasmatic," and extremely intense contractions (>30 seconds, or even >3 minutes) whereas PNF tends to be very short contractions (<10 seconds). Kurz recommends against anyone younger than 18 using isometrics (long and extended holds at great extremes of motion, spasms are allowed, screams are too) because, as you said, the connective tissue are probably not finished maturing; however, I was doing light isometrics when I was 16 and a half years old because even back then I had not grown an inch for two years. 18 years old is generally the age where most people are finished growing, but don't forget that the age itself is unimportant as long as the growth spurt is over and the person has "stabilized."

PNF is a lot safer than isometrics in my opinion.