Stretching.

[Lemni Skate]

I coach cross country and track and field and the thinking now is that stretching before any athletic activity (I'm talking about static stretching where you push and pull on muscles) actually causes injuries and lessens performance. If you go to one of our meets you won't see any teams stretch and I rarely see it at any other high school sports. The thinking now seems to be that some very easy warm up running exercises is the way to go and then stretch after the workout. Also, I sit at UVA football games with kids who are majoring in physical education related fields (I don't think they actually have a physical education major), and they all say that all the research says not to stretch. I was wondering what your practices are and what you've seen others do out on the trail. Do the "experts" know what they're talking about or will the pendulum swing back to stretching again?

I know I never have stretched before hiking, but I like to camp in a place so that I can start off up hill the next day and I use my first climb as the "warm up" and go real easy. I never stretch after hiking because I'm usually tired and have to cook, etc.

[MuddyWaters]

Dynamic warmups have been the thing for a few years.

I dont know about causing injuries and lessening performance, but dynamic warmups get the brain going as well and improve performance relative to static stretching only.

But no one does "only" static stretching. They use a combination of mild stretches, followed by dynamic warmups.

My viewpoint, is that limited mild stretching is natural and good. My body wants to do it, and it knows something researchers dont. I have never believed in excessive stretching.

I would consider anyone that says NO stretching at all, to be a quack.

I am referring to athletics here. Not hiking. No stretching is needed for hiking, put on pack and start walking.

Also the older you get, the more you need to slowly initiate the range of motion of joints , if you know what I mean.

[Pedaling Fool]

I posted about this a few years ago when I read an article. I was skeptical at first, because it went against everything I was taught (we all remember in gym class being made to stretch before activity). However, I've come to agree with the new paradigm. I only do static stretching as a completely different activity, no longer before a run. Now there are some that say static stretching is bad, period. I tend to disagree, but I would agree that some take it to extremes. My view is it's something good for the body as it ages, in otherwords it's positive effects are not in the now, rather in the future.

I hope I'm right about that :D

[litefoot2000]

Yes, I think loss of flexibility as we age should be one of our greatest concerns. Just remember that when you are stretching, go only to the point of mild irritation.

[leaftye]

Stretching is good, but can be done to the point of minor injury. I must stretch my posterior chain to prevent my plantar fascia from getting too tight and turning into plantar fasciitis again.

[Lone Wolf]

i crewed david horton some years back when he was running the transamerica footrace from california to new york. it was a 64 day stage race. these men and women ran 40-60 miles a day. none of them stretched before running a stage

[Just Bill]

I agree with the (no) warm up- but I do find that during activity I need to stretch every 2-4 hours. Nothing formal- just some calf, quad and hamstring stretches- some times just leaning on a tree every so often. Some shoulder stretches help too if my pack is dragging on me. It's not an injury prevention thing for me- more of a performance enhancer; I find I can go longer, a hair faster- and not have issues the next day if I stretch out a few times a day. I'd like to say I stretch at night, but as other's mentioned most of the time I just end up skipping it. The big exception I think is Physical Therapy, if I don't keep up on those stretches I find myself sidelined within a few days.

[Rocket Jones]

I'll do some jumping jacks and mobility movements in the morning before heading out, and more mobility movement during and at the end of the day. Nothing really considered stretching, just warming up the muscles and joints.

[Rasty]

I touch my toes every 5 or 6 miles.

[redseal]

Some experts say stretching is good while others say it is not. From my research and personal history, I would agree that stretching when the muscles are unworked can lead to injury. As such, before working out I will do ballistic stretches first (i.e. huggers, shakers, etc.) to warm up the body first. Then I will do a few minutes of stretching and get to it. On the trail, I find that stretching does help me walk longer. I typically will stretch at every break longer than 30 min. Seems to help me, but I am no expert :-)

[Dogwood]

Mild stretching by someone who's already an athlete is done by many in a great variety of sports (think tri-athletes, baseball, soccer, football, basketball, running, tennis, etc) by starting out slowly(mildly) after already a bit warmed up or as part of warming up. Watch a baseball player in the batter's warm up box who's up next or a pitcher in the bull pen warming up. Some athletes also stretch after their competition. I think problems arise when the muscles are over stretched or when they aren't ready for it.

[Dogwood]

The yoga and aerobics classes and stretching exercises I sometimes engage in are ABSOLUTELY beneficial to my tennis and basketball games as well as my hiking! Visiting the chiropractor for stretching and bone alignments are ABSOLUTELY beneficial for me too! NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!

[Dogwood]

It's not an either or proposition with stretching. It's beneficial when it' s done right.

[rocketsocks]

I walk to warm up the muscles then stretch them after about 20 min, or a mile...mostly the calf's and Achilles tendons, doing it this way has been a plus for me and I haven't had any flare ups with the Achilles tendons.

[Just Bill]

Don't forget to reach way around and get in a good Asss scratching- by cross cheeking- scratching the opposite cheek behind your back you really open up the chest- increasing breathing and preventing monkey butt.

[Rasty]

Don't forget to reach way around and get in a good Asss scratching- by cross cheeking- scratching the opposite cheek behind your back you really open up the chest- increasing breathing and preventing monkey butt.

Can you quantify the benefit of cross cheeking compared to regular cheeking with regard to monkey butt? Is it 10% more effective?

[fredmugs]

I always stretch my quads, hamstrings, calves, and achilles tendons before hiking. I remember one section hike that started at US 4 in VT and it was raining hard and I just started walking. Granted I did a 24 mile day but I was so sore and that soreness lasted quite awhile.

There's a different and maybe related theory that some people are built to maintain an even pace over long distances while others (like me) vary their pace constantly. I wonder if the people who can maintain a steady pace for a long time do not need to stretch.

[Dogwood]

Cross cheeking is most beneficial when combined with asss flexing and cheek squeezing. That's when you really feel the burn. It's a fabulooos pre hike exercise.

[Namtrag]

I would love to stretch, but find that I am too inflexible to do so.

[Just Bill]

Can you quantify the benefit of cross cheeking compared to regular cheeking with regard to monkey butt? Is it 10% more effective?

Regarding monkey butt, either technique is effective; however when cross cheeking you gain the above mentioned pulmonary improvement, perhaps we can schedule time at the Gatorade facility for quantitative testing. I believe Backpacking Light is working on the article already though. Simple backpacker math should suffice- two functions in one movement=preferred technique. On a side note-I still can't tell if you and Hikerboy are making fun of me, but I'll continue to pretend I'm in on the joke. My massive ego prevents any other option really.

[Rasty]

Can you quantify the benefit of cross cheeking compared to regular cheeking with regard to monkey butt? Is it 10% more effective?

Regarding monkey butt, either technique is effective; however when cross cheeking you gain the above mentioned pulmonary improvement, perhaps we can schedule time at the Gatorade facility for quantitative testing. I believe Backpacking Light is working on the article already though. Simple backpacker math should suffice- two functions in one movement=preferred technique. On a side note-I still can't tell if you and Hikerboy are making fun of me, but I'll continue to pretend I'm in on the joke. My massive ego prevents any other option really.

Hikerboy and I would make fun of anything. It gets us in trouble sometimes. On the other hand monkey butt should never be joked about.

[Just Bill]

I'm an a-hole too, but I play a nice guy on TV.

[Dogwood]

I'm an a-hole too, but I play a nice guy on TV.

Just looking at that wide eyed I'm tripping my face off garden Gnome picture you posted of yourself and we all knew that already. :D

[RCBear]

I will stretch to pick up a 5 spot on the sidewalk. Anything less is not worth the risk of injury.

[Rasty]

I will stretch to pick up a 5 spot on the sidewalk. Anything less is not worth the risk of injury.

What about a dropped snickers bar?

[RCBear]

I will stretch to pick up a 5 spot on the sidewalk. Anything less is not worth the risk of injury.

What about a dropped snickers bar?

Well now....id be willing to pop a hamstring for that :-)

[gizzy bear]

Well now....id be willing to pop a hamstring for that :-)

he would pop a hamstring, break his face and take out a class of 1st graders diving for a candy bar...