Stretching after warmup or at the end after workout?

[desiUK]

Hi All

im confused do i warm up, then stretch then do my workout then stretch? or do i do warm up then do exercises then stretch? and is the stretching the cooldown and is a cooldown needed?

thank you

[hessunit]

Hi All

im confused do i warm up, then stretch then do my workout then stretch? or do i do warm up then do exercises then stretch? and is the stretching the cooldown and is a cooldown needed?

thank you

Warmup, mobility/prehab, workout, stretch. Your cool down can be stretching, although depending on how rough the workout was, you may want to walk on the treadmill for a few minutes for some active recovery/cool down.

[jbadr]

depends what your working out or doing. ex/ when i do cardio ill stretch after, but on legs day you deff want to warmup and stretch before

[XADO]

Dynamic stretching will be more efficient during warm-ups (as it will not tear fibers so bad)

Isometric stretching would sometimes be needed between sets, and most of the times are beneficial at the end of the work-out (or that particular muscle group).

[IDrinkBloodLOL]

I like to make stretching its own workout. If I think I need more flexibility I'll just spend an hour or so stretching.

[MuscleTechIan]

Dynamic stretching will be more efficient during warm-ups (as it will not tear fibers so bad)

Isometric stretching would sometimes be needed between sets, and most of the times are beneficial at the end of the work-out (or that particular muscle group).

Completely agree.

I've seen studies that actually show how Isometric stretching pre-workout can be harmful as well.

[CookAndrewB]

I think the above answers are all "text book" and very good. Ideally, if we were dealing with a high level athlete, we would want to step through the mobility/training/stretching cycle (mobility being considered "warming up" in many circles). However, I think this is overly specific for recreational athletes and your average gym member. Truthfully, at that level, I would be pretty happy so long as they actually stretched! Pre, post, during... it probably isn't going to create any kind of real performance/injury difference so long as their overall flexibility is reasonable. If the person is overly tight, and it causes limitations during exercise (such as reduced ROM, or not being able to properly perform an exercise without some compensatory action), then I might want to look into a more specific plan of action to correct this. Otherwise, I would just encourage you to stretch when it feels natural to do so.

[DJAuto]

I stretch before my workout, and intermittently during the workout itself. Mostly dynamic.

[jdmalm123]

Warmup, mobility/prehab, workout, stretch. Your cool down can be stretching, although depending on how rough the workout was, you may want to walk on the treadmill for a few minutes for some active recovery/cool down.

This /\/\/\/\ (for the average gym rat)

[kenethleclair]

stretching is a waste of time n effort...just do a warm up set

[mmmdonuts]

I'm sort of surprised to hear all the responses saying you should stretch... i would have expected more posts saying stretching is unnecessary. Personally I do some warm up sets before my first exercise, but will only stretch afterwards only when I have some extra time. FWIW I work out in the morning.

[CookAndrewB]

I'm sort of surprised to hear all the responses saying you should stretch... i would have expected more posts saying stretching is unnecessary. Personally I do some warm up sets before my first exercise, but will only stretch afterwards only when I have some extra time. FWIW I work out in the morning.

I'm not aware of any credible source that says stretching is a complete waste of time. There is a point where most people have adequate muscular flexibility (muscle body length) to allow a normal ROM. In these cases, stretching doesn't necessarily get you a lot, and can really be done as a means of preserving the flexibility that you have. In some respects properly executed full ROM exercises ensure adequate muscle flexibility, but there are always people that have specific shortening of muscles due to other factors (hip flexors from sitting all day, for one).

Mobility addresses factors that impede full ROM, and looks outside of muscle length as a restriction (and may also address muscle length). Mobility often focuses on connective tissue work, soft tissue work such as working on scar tissue in muscles, and eliminating full ROM by way of compensatory movement. Basically stated, you can be flexible and still not "move" the right way. For your average trainee, I think this is probably a little above the scope of what is necessary. Am I worried that a football player doesn't move right through tackles, changes of direction while running full speed, and jumping? Sure. Not moving correctly can, potentially, predict injury. Am I worried that a 17 year old non-athlete who wants bigger biceps can move like a cheetah? Much less so. If he can, do I care? Nope, good on him! If his lifts look good, a little maintenance stretching works for me. If his lifts look like crap, some other plan might be necessary. For the average population, I would view mobility work more in terms of fixing problems than a necessity. But that is just my opinion, and I would certainly never fault anyone for doing mobility work, much in the way that I would never fault anyone for taking a multi-vitamin. If you need it, it is a good idea. If you don't need it... it won't kill you, but is it really doing anything for you? Not for me to say, and at that point I'm happy to let people do as they see fit.

[jdmalm123]

I'm not aware of any credible source that says stretching is a complete waste of time. There is a point where most people have adequate muscular flexibility (muscle body length) to allow a normal ROM. In these cases, stretching doesn't necessarily get you a lot, and can really be done as a means of preserving the flexibility that you have. In some respects properly executed full ROM exercises ensure adequate muscle flexibility, but there are always people that have specific shortening of muscles due to other factors (hip flexors from sitting all day, for one).

Mobility addresses factors that impede full ROM, and looks outside of muscle length as a restriction (and may also address muscle length). Mobility often focuses on connective tissue work, soft tissue work such as working on scar tissue in muscles, and eliminating full ROM by way of compensatory movement. Basically stated, you can be flexible and still not "move" the right way. For your average trainee, I think this is probably a little above the scope of what is necessary. Am I worried that a football player doesn't move right through tackles, changes of direction while running full speed, and jumping? Sure. Not moving correctly can, potentially, predict injury. Am I worried that a 17 year old non-athlete who wants bigger biceps can move like a cheetah? Much less so. If he can, do I care? Nope, good on him! If his lifts look good, a little maintenance stretching works for me. If his lifts look like crap, some other plan might be necessary. For the average population, I would view mobility work more in terms of fixing problems than a necessity. But that is just my opinion, and I would certainly never fault anyone for doing mobility work, much in the way that I would never fault anyone for taking a multi-vitamin. If you need it, it is a good idea. If you don't need it... it won't kill you, but is it really doing anything for you? Not for me to say, and at that point I'm happy to let people do as they see fit.

Excellent write-up. A really great summary of the issues affecting flexibility.

[hessunit]

stretching is a waste of time n effort...just do a warm up set

If I could Neg you right now I would. What an absolutely stupid statement.

OP, I beg you to ignore what he said.

The end.

[BombDonald]

If I could Neg you right now I would. What an absolutely stupid statement.

OP, I beg you to ignore what he said.

The end.

LOL no kidding.