Are Static Stretches before Exercise Better than Not Stretching?

[Gerunding]

Good morning,

I read it's best to do static stretches after exercising. Some days, however, that limits the time I have to do static stretches.

Though not ideal, is doing static stretches before exercise (example: Throughout the day) still better than not doing them at all?

Thank you for any help.

[SuffolkPunch]

It's important to understand if you need to stretch and why you would stretch.

The main reason would be if you can't get into a proper range of motion to do an exercise (like maybe a deep squat).

Stretching on its own doesn't cause permanent changes in muscle length - it's actually the application of resistance to a muscle (e.g. weight training) that forces it to restructure. Also, you shouldn't assume that more flexibility is always better - enough flexibility is probably good for general life - but you have natural resting muscle tension for a reason, usually to protect joints.

In short, don't just do it as a matter of course, have a reason.

To answer your question, light stretching before training is likely fine. Severe intense stretching has been shown to degrade exercise performance when done before.

[sowilson]

you can do stretching anytime during the day. You may want to do some, prior to a workout if a particular muscle group is particularly tight that day.

[jaxqen]

Also, you shouldn't assume that more flexibility is always better - you have natural resting muscle tension for a reason, usually to protect joints.

For most people it is better, though. It's very difficult to be flexible to the point of being unhealthy.

[Heisman2]

Longer duration static stretching will negatively impact strength acutely (stretching >60 seconds shows this the most). Doing dynamic movements between stretching and athletic performance helps diminish this effect.

Thus, I would hold static stretches for no more than 30 seconds and do dynamic stretches after them IF you feel you need to do static stretching.

There is no significant benefit to static stretching prior to lifting. Thus, I would only do this if you feel it will help mobility or will give you peace of mind from an injury prevention standpoint (though there is no strong evidence that it will help prevent injuries, the placebo effect is real for some people).

[Casca]

I warm up and then stretch.

[chiefillini]

keep mis calive

[EliKoehn]

Interesting question and responses... I have heard that excessive stretching can cause you to lose tightness and impair lifting performance, but on the other hand, being locked up isn't good either.

I do a shoulder warmup every single workout, no matter what the session looks like, and touch my toes with my knees locked for about 15 seconds. If squatting, I do air squats before I start loading the bar. I find that this "grooves" all the mobility I will need.

[BeginnerGainz]

I used to do static stretching before and after, then after, now not at all after working out.

The loaded stretching during full ROM exercises have done more than static stretching ever has for my flexibility.

[GrouchyUSMC]

Ideally you'll want a few minutes before you jump into your work sets to warm up. You won't die from doing static stretches as part of your warm up though.

https://www.catalystathletics.com/ar...-Will-You-Die/

[jademonkey]

You can do them throughout the day just fine. Ideally you don't do super intense stretching right before training. But gymnasts do tons of stretching, sometimes even before training, and still get strong. However, gymnasts often have a priority of strength in a very flexible position. I would only do static stretching before an exercise if the increased range of motion is being worked in the following exercise - such as pike stretch before L hold, V hold, mana hold, or pike stalder press.

[SuffolkPunch]

For most people it is better, though. It's very difficult to be flexible to the point of being unhealthy.

That is true although a lesser issue would be spending too much time pursuing something that's not going to have a big impact on your goals. You only need enough flexibility to comfortably perform the exercises or day to day tasks you need to perform. Maybe I'm the exception but I've achieved that with very little focus specifically on flexibility.

[jaxqen]

That is true although a lesser issue would be spending too much time pursuing something that's not going to have a big impact on your goals. You only need enough flexibility to comfortably perform the exercises or day to day tasks you need to perform. Maybe I'm the exception but I've achieved that with very little focus specifically on flexibility.

It depends what are your goals.
For some, being able to do a pancake stretch can be a goal, just like benching 350 can be for others.
Also, from what I've seen at some gyms (regular commercial gyms, not powerlifting gyms), very few people really stretch.
And some have problems with doing some exercises because of this. Like RDLs or rows or squats or lunges.
Doing a hybrid between a Yates row and a shrug because they can't do a proper row.
And not because it's easier or they haven't seen a video with the proper form, it's because they have poor flexibility in hams and glutes. I've talked to a few and this was the reason. They just couldn't bent because "my back thighs hurt"

I would say there are more people with poor flexibility that doesn't allow them to do some exercises than people who make who do too much flexibility work. And those who do a lot are dedicated because they do martial arts, calisthenics or something else where flexibility is needed more.