Hi everyone,
Can you help me with the following:
I workout together with a fitness coach and she advises me not to stretch after the work-out.
She believes that when you do a heavy muscle related workout (bodyweight/free weight) you tear up the muscle fibers and when one would stretch after those workouts there would be a very high chance of injury (pulling on the now weaker muscles).
Internet is full of why you should do them ... kinda confused now
Any ideas?
Thanks
I consulted this with a doctor. He said that it's necessary to stretch after a workout (I discribed him what I'm training) and he said not to stretch before the workout - only warm up before and stretch after. This is what I was told by a doctor who is orthopedic, and this is what I'm doing and I would advice you to do the same. I can explain it further, if you want.
When I initially started out I always stretched after a workout.
I did see the logic of what she was saying.
Muscle get weaker during workout -> stretching pulls on said muscles -> injury possible
What the majority says.
Muscle get weaker during workout -> muscles are activated/contracted -> stretching said muscles -> lengthen muscles to prevent tightness/ improve flexibility and mobility.
Again very logic.
If you could elaborate I would appreciate.
My doctor said that you should stretch after the workout because muscles are contracting during the exercises (of course they also are being broken at some point) and you should do some stretching t bring them to their previous state, I hope I remember correctly what he said. I would reccomend you to consult I with a doctor who has some knowledge about it, cause on may say this, an the other can say something different. This is what I was told and I'm doing what I was adviced to do. Also I've read somewhere such comparison, I don't remember where exactly, that working out is similar to the work of blacksmith. Your body is the iron, and it must be heated before any work on it (warm up) and after the work is done it must be cooled to maintain what wasade to it during the workout (stretching). I believe that this is how it was said/written, so I see no reason why not to stretch after a workout, but again: consult it with an orthopedist.
Thanks for the feedback Przemek!
Will line up with a doctor when possible :)
You welcome, Steve!
STRETCH AFTER YOUR WORKOUT
Yea, I'd say stretch after your workout bro. It's necessary. Just warmup(not stretch) before your workout, and stretch after it. I'm sure what she meant was because of over-stretching, which you should avoid.