Is static stretching before lifting a bad thing?

[dizzay20]

I usually do a full body stretch routine before i lift. I stretch each muscle for around 5 seconds. I then do sum warmup cardio and then i hit the weights.

Ive heard that static stretching before lifting can reduce ur strength. Is it true?

[Ironlife]

I usually do a full body stretch routine before i lift. I stretch each muscle for around 5 seconds. I then do sum warmup cardio and then i hit the weights.

Ive heard that static stretching before lifting can reduce ur strength. Is it true?

Yes due to the golgi tendon organs and stretch reflex.

[KyleAaron]

Yes, static stretching reduces strength. Basically, when you work a muscle you contract it, stretching lengthens it, making it less able to contract - that's the whole point of stretching, it makes it less able to contract violently and hurt you.

Whether the reduced strength matters to you is something else again. If you're a beginner - that is, for reps benching less than bodyweight, squatting less than 150% your bodyweight, and deadlifting less than 175% your bodyweight - then slightly reduced strength doesn't matter.

And anyway it won't be noticed, what you ate for breakfast or how much sleep you had last night will make a much bigger difference.

For a person with no health issues (like a reconstructed knee, etc) the best stretch is a dynamic one - that is, warm up on each exercise with high reps and low weight, gradually increasing the range of motion through the set. This gives you enough flexibility for that particular exercise.

If you have health issues, then do what your doctor/physio/etc tell you.

[Budjola]

usually i warm up first (5 mins on some cardio machine) than i do some stretching and than i stretch in between sets but those stretches are short 5-10 seconds and it works wonders for preventing injury

[Bantropic]

I usually do a full body stretch routine before i lift. I stretch each muscle for around 5 seconds. I then do sum warmup cardio and then i hit the weights.

Ive heard that static stretching before lifting can reduce ur strength. Is it true?

There is a large abundance of evidence which very clearly shows a loss of strength and power capabilities following acute bouts of static stretching; through which the detrimental effects usually last for 1 - 2 hours post-stretch.

Rather than performing a "full body static stretch routine" prior to your session - do this after your training session, during your cool-down period. Instead, keep your dynamic warm-up (be it cardio, or bodyweight movements replicating those you'll perform in your resistance training program) for use prior to training commencement.

[Bantropic]

usually i warm up first (5 mins on some cardio machine) than i do some stretching and than i stretch in between sets but those stretches are short 5-10 seconds and it works wonders for preventing injury

Acute static stretching does not reduce injury incidence, or injury risk.

Chronic static stretching - that is - a regular, long-term stretching program is what reduces injury risk and incidence.

In other words, your static stretching prior to, and between sets may assist your range of motion during the present training session; but that's about it.

[MDPower75]

Stretching for 5 seconds isn't going to reduce strength. It's also not going to do much for you.

Stretching is best done after a workout. And stretching a muscle for less than 20 seconds is largely useless. There are some muscles that are good to stretch, but sometimes it could just make a mobility/stability situation worse. For instance, if I stretch my glutes it feels good, but since I spend most of my day driving in a car my glutes are plenty stretched out. They don't need to be stretched, they need to be strengthened. Stretching them doesn't do anygood, and could actually cause even more issues.

I stretch my hamstrings and chest because they are continually tight and short (on me, and just about everyone else) but I stretch nothing else.