15
votes
Passive work out?
Your problem
A passive way of working out sounds like a paradox.
If you want to become stronger, you need to exert your muscles. And exertion of the muscles is an "activity", which is an antonym to "...
- 17.9k
12
votes
My trainer insists on stretching before any exercise, even warming up. Should I be worried?
First off, ask your trainer how many athletes he or she has trained that have won national, regional, or international titles. Personally, my belief is that unless you have trained someone that's made ...
- 14.8k
11
votes
Accepted
Should I stretch every day?
I know that it's not effective to train the same muscle group every day because the muscle needs time to recover.
Indeed, the key parameter here is that training the muscle essentially involves ...
9
votes
Accepted
Stretching while cold, with no intent to exercise: any benefit?
Here's something that might help a bit. From a 2009 study:
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the long-term
effects of two different stretching techniques on the range of motion
...
- 14.8k
8
votes
Passive work out?
Assuming you have no physical limitations, your problem seems to be a lack of motivation. Rather than doing things you don’t like, you should find an activity that can keep your interest for a ...
- 6,641
8
votes
Stretching for weightlifting
Stretching is not beneficial to weightlifting or strength training, unless a lack of flexibility prevents you from performing an exercise. E.g. If your shoulders are so inflexible that you can't hold ...
- 13.4k
7
votes
Should I stretch every day?
Harvard Medical School recommends stretching every day, and at least 2-3 times per week.
As with all types of exercise, you need to engage in stretching regularly in order to reap lasting benefits. ...
- 17.9k
6
votes
Strengthening and conditioning to improve flips
I have no strength or stretching exercises for this purpose, but I do see this:
I have been spending one afternoon a week practicing cartwheels, handstands, backbends, and walkovers.
Gymnastics ...
- 24.8k
6
votes
Accepted
Did walking & stretching on my rest day made my lower back sore?
You're sore Wednesday because you squatted Monday. Soreness from lifting can easily last two or three days, and even get worse on later days. It's called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS.
...
- 24.8k
6
votes
Accepted
What is a reasonable schedule for increasing flexibility?
Flexibility is training just like any other training. There is no gene for flexibility. And, just like any other training, it will follow the same sort of timeline as any other exercise regimen. ...
- 22.3k
6
votes
Types of stretching
Basically there are four types of stretching:
Static: you hold a position, not really bouncing around on it. This is what most athletic stretching tends to be since it's the easiest, doesn't require ...
- 14.8k
6
votes
Accepted
Is stretching after bodybuilding workout advised?
Both perspectives seem off in one way or another. Your experience alone shows that stretching isn't harmful when done right, but what exactly is right? Let's tackle your two perspectives first, then ...
- 4,412
6
votes
What is the difference between yoga and stretching?
There are branches of yoga with focus on different things. If we're going with the static, more relaxed yoga poses (see: yin yoga), then we're doing a lot of seated and laid down stretching.
Breath ...
- 17.9k
5
votes
Accepted
Holding weights on bench press flyes
I'll preface this by saying this is purely my opinion based on many years of training and experience as a trainer.
I, personally, would not perform “one more set with heavy weight stretching my ...
- 6,641
5
votes
Accepted
I can't touch my butt with my heel
These are two exercises I like for this purpose:
Toddler Squat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc3V3f45nOI
I have people hold that position for 30-60 seconds, for either three sets, or have them ...
- 1,667
5
votes
Flexibility training - short & intense vs. long & light
First, a correction of a misconception. You don't stretch ligaments. Ligaments connect bone to bone, and if they stretch out, they don't go back to their original shape. This makes joints loose and ...
- 22.3k
5
votes
Accepted
Can I use hip adductor machine to stretch legs for splits?
You're using a machine for partner stretches. This isn't a bad thing; but, you need to be careful.
When you say, "Ah! Too far!" a person will stop. The machine only listens to its mechanics and ...
- 1,546
5
votes
What would happen if an adult was forced into a right split?
I'm not aware of any testing being done, and there is no guarantee that it would produce injuries, but it certainly could produce injuries. Some possible examples are:
Torn/strained muscles
Torn ...
- 22.3k
4
votes
Accepted
Stretching during exercises?
Currently, there's no credible studies that show static stretching during exercise is helpful. In fact, as a result of some recent studies, the opposite seems to be true. That is, static stretching ...
- 6,641
4
votes
My trainer insists on stretching before any exercise, even warming up. Should I be worried?
Static stretching very slightly decreases the chance of injury at a strong detriment to strength. Its not necessarily wrong but if you want to lift heavy may be wrong for you.
Cardio before lifting ...
- 41
4
votes
Complete and minimal flexibility workout?
No static program will bring constant improvement. If you want to continue increasing flexibility over time, you need to do something like regularly attend a yoga class, where the exercises used ...
- 24.8k
4
votes
Accepted
Benefits of stretching if you don't care about flexibility
Research is mixed regarding the importance stretching after exercise. Adaptive shortening of muscles however will cause a problem.
Re-Thinking Movement
Your body moves as a unit in patterns not as ...
- 2,785
4
votes
I can't figure out which muscle is weakest/tight
I'd highly recommend seeing a local Physical Therapist. A full evaluation is required to properly diagnosis and plan a corrective exercise regimen based on your unique situation. I've included ...
- 2,785
4
votes
Accepted
Which stretches should one do every day to reverse efects of sitting at work?
In my opinion, stretching is not enough and should be accompanied by strengthening of the muscles that get long and weak while staying in bad posture for long periods of time. Doing a ton of rowing, ...
- 222
4
votes
Accepted
Stretching full body after upper body workout?
what would be quite nice
So do it then?
I'm confused on what's stopping you here, this is completely your choice you either stretch or you don't. Whatever you feel benefits you more:
1) Stretching + ...
- 1,042
4
votes
Starting to Run in Threadmill
From my personal experience, I can say that stretching is required neither before nor after the treadmill running workouts, unless you are planning to sprint at high speeds there, which I do not ...
- 315
4
votes
Accepted
Does this exercise stretch hip flexors?
Generally, stretching is accomplished by elongating muscle fibers (technical summary).
In the kneeling hip flexor stretch, we stretch the hip flexors of the leg with the knee on the ground. In the ...
- 158
4
votes
I can't raise my legs much while lying on my back
You're not strong enough to lift your legs any higher than that. Raising your legs while lying supine requires strength in the abdominals and hip flexors.
I am suspecting it might be caused by ...
- 13.4k
3
votes
Complete and minimal flexibility workout?
As in my answer here, I'm a fan of Craig Ramsay's Anatomy of Stretching, which offers, along with a long list of stretches, both an hour-long comprehensive routine and a 15 minute "essentials" routine....
- 8,913
3
votes
Complete and minimal flexibility workout?
I could recommend some 'flows' like the 4 movement closed System from ido portal. https://youtu.be/D8QxbtcA5hU
I like those kind of stretch and mobility drills highly effective and timesaving also ...
- 1,393
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible