the importance of streching

[unclemoney]

I will be starting bjj soon and thereafter thai kick boxing... I know you need to strech and be flexable, but I haven't ever streched once. Been workinout for almost 3 years now and reason for not streching is I've read in a few differnt places how streching causes your strength to go down... I wonder by how much? And please don't say "no it doesnt" if you don't really know that for sure and what I mean by that is theres a few threads here on ar and I've read it in mag's b4.

[BOUNCER]

Your strenght goes down, lol.. Good one, never heard that joke before!.

[Ammar]

How does stretching make your strength go down?? Anyways, I stretch before every workout and after every workout. I would highly recommend everyone to do so before doing any sort of work out.

[unclemoney]

Thanks for taking me seriously... If you didn't read the part that said no need to post if you don't really know for sure unless you have proof to back it up.... leme find the post to show you or should I even waste the time? Well I'll just say this... When you strech you loosen up your muscle and cause it to be "less dense" therefor when you perfom exercises with that muscle it will have lost strength wereas if you would of done it without stretching.

[Monkeytown]

I've read the stretching during exercise will decrease strength. Suppose you just did a set of benchpress, you get up and stretch your chest and go to do the next set, you will have a strength decrease.

I never heard that stretching in general would decrease strength, where did you see that?

[BOUNCER]

Thanks for taking me seriously... If you didn't read the part that said no need to post if you don't really know for sure unless you have proof to back it up.... leme find the post to show you or should I even waste the time? Well I'll just say this... When you strech you loosen up your muscle and cause it to be "less dense" therefor when you perfom exercises with that muscle it will have lost strength wereas if you would of done it without stretching.

If you want to be smart about it I can move this to the workout forum for answer's to the importance of stretching.

[unclemoney]

sounds like a good idea, thanks for moving it(when you do).

[JdFlex]

sounds like a good idea, thanks for moving it(when you do).

My understanding is that stretching muscles will expand fascia, thus allowing the muscles to grow bigger. Its an essential part of DC training.

http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/magaz...stretching.htm

[unclemoney]

yes I have heard of this concept b4 from sabodians big post on the dc method... but their is also evidence out their that streching decreases strength...

[Panzerfaust]

I think it is ridiculous and i am waiting to see some "facts" regarding this.

Welcome to BJJ, get ready to get your ass handed to you for months on end, you might wanna take some Glutamine before class as BJJ demands a whole hell of alot out of your whole body. BJJ is 85% hip movements.

[bluethunder]

Stretching is needed for martial arts training. Both static and balistic. More so then when lifting and the reason is it warms the ligaments,connective tissues & tendons ,muscles for the higher range of movement that is typically used in kicks. I trained with some of North Carolina best(TKD) and if you did not warm up stretching (both before & cool down after) not only will you be slower but your asking for some injury.

[MrMondodondo]

Check out Mentzer's site www.mikementzer.com and read this article......

Stretching and Warm-ups, By Dave Sears Posted 2/9/03

Very ineteresting.

My Spine Surgeon tells me that the ONLY way stretching is effective is to
hold the stretch for 3 times for 30 seconds minimum each.
But, hell he's just the head of Spinal Trauma at Cedars Sinai.......

I say do what makes YOU feel good.

[Hypertrophy]

I've read the stretching during exercise will decrease strength. Suppose you just did a set of benchpress, you get up and stretch your chest and go to do the next set, you will have a strength decrease.

I never heard that stretching in general would decrease strength, where did you see that?

Monkey is more or less correct. Stretching directly before lifting (acute effect) has been shown to decrease force production. Stretching interferes with the mechanical properties of the muscle, such as the length tension relationship and the inhibition of the CNS. The chronic effects of stretching will have no negative effect of strength, possibly increasing force! So stretch after you lift to increase flexibility and you'll be A-OK.