MYTH #1: STRETCHING BEFORE WORKOUT PREVENTS INJURY Once upon a time, stretching before workout or exercise was considered essential to prepare the body and decrease the possibility of injury. Does stretching before exercise affect performance? Before you start stretching it out—or doing any other warmup, for that matter—check out the most common misconceptions Taylor hears about warming up. While a good stretch session after a taxing workout might give your muscles and joints some immediate relief, research shows that static stretching, whether done before or after training, has little effect on preventing delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Rich Barlow Once upon a time, stretching was to exercise what proposing is to marriage: an essential ritual that had to be done before the main event. Static stretching before exercising is not recommended as it might weaken your muscle and impair athletic performance. However, studies claim that stretching before exercising can weaken the performance. Let’s examine this myth one gender at a time. Instead of stretching before a workout, do a light warm-up. Evidence suggests that acute stretching immediately before exercise can have a negative effect on performance due to the physiological changes seen in the muscle and the decreased ability to store elastic energy (Wilson et al, 2010). orthopedic injury False. Stretching to increase mobility should be done as a separate workout. Hundreds of millions of joggers around the world perform static stretching exercises before going for a jog. You can safely do away with it. While stretching you want to feel moderate discomfort, but not pain. Many people believe that if you stretch before exercise it will reduce your risk for injury. Just remember to stretch consistently, when you stretch you want to feel a moderate stretch discomfort, and figure out what works best for you.” Dr. Jarvis. Myth 2: Always stretch before you exercise. It’s crazy! Always stretch, right? Debunking the stretching myth and giving you real reasons why muscle stretching helps your body, and how to do it properly Stretching before activity is great for you, but not for the reasons you might think. Myth 2: Stretching before exercise will prevent injury. When it comes to stretching, many of us choose to neglect it after a hard workout, but how much difference does it really make and am I wasting my time if I bother? The best type of stretching to perform before your workout is dynamic stretching. Now, if you haven’t been warming up properly before, this may sound like a lot of sets to do before your actual workout…. When it comes to stretching, many of us choose to neglect it after a hard workout, but how much difference does it really make and am I wasting my time if I bother? So, given what all of these studies tell us, static stretching doesn’t seem to deliver on its promises. Derek Carter, a Manhattan Beach, California-based personal trainer and certified strength and conditioning specialist, believes in doing dynamic stretches to warm up for a workout and static stretches to recover afterward. It’s important to stretch to maintain healthy joints and have appropriate mobility for physical activity. In fact, this is the warm-up protocol that I personally follow, and I whole-heartedly recommend that you give it a try too. You may have heard that stretching before your muscles are warm is a bad idea. This is because you want your muscles to be warmed up before you do static stretching – so post-exercise is the way to go if you participate in any sports that require flexibility. And there’s some truth to that: Performing static stretches—reaching and holding in one position—is not recommended and has even been shown to hurt workout performance. Instead of moving right into a weight that is challenging for you, start by doing 3-4 warm-up sets with relatively low weight. Do you find that it helps with your workouts? Well, before we get mired in baseless speculation here, let’s start by taking a look at some of the benefits that this practice allegedly offers. This particular myth is contentious. The … Yep, you can actually stretch too much. Myth #5: Stretching Prevents Soreness This one is actually a bit of a mixed bag. What’s the first thing you do when you get to the gym? Not very likely. Myth 1: One must always stretch before exercising. Further, it will help reduce the chance of your getting hurt, since dynamic stretching has been found to raise body temperature, improve blood flow to the muscles, and help with coordination – all of which are important for remaining injury-free. Instead, to truly stay safe, you'll want to do a warm-up exercise to increase blood flow to your muscles, … Author: Myth #2 Stretching should not be performed before exercise or sport. This will put your muscles through the full range of motion that you will be working them in, and properly prime you for the later, heavy sets. Myth #4: Stretching Before A Workout Prevents Injury This myth is wrong! Recent studies caution people away from stretching before workouts, suggesting it actually impedes your body’s performance. It's the most dangerous type of myth because there's a kernel of truth in it, Hutchinson said. A recent study challenged that old, vague admonition to stretch before exercise. "For most performances, this would be detrimental," says Dr Ian Shrier, a sports medicine clinician and researcher and Associate Professor at the Department of Family Medicine, at Montreal's McGill University. Still, even in these cases, static stretching will be more effective if it is done after the exercise, not before. MYTH: You should stretch before you work out. I think it is another reason the ChiRunning Body Looseners are so effective before your training, they are not stretching but joint movement. Ok, so now that we’ve hopefully established that many of the traditional benefits don’t apply, what are we left with? Static stretching before exercise can weaken performance, such as sprint speed, in studies. If you’re like many guys, you might start out by doing a little bit of stretching. pain. Stretching before exercise does not reduce the risk of local muscle injury: a critical review of the clinical and basic science literature Objective: To evaluate the clinical and basic science evidence surrounding the hypothesis that stretching immediately before exercise prevents injury. Athletes of a certain age were warned to stretch their muscles before exerting themselves to avoid a debilitating pull or injury. Eon Jarvis, DPT, OCS, a physical therapist with University of Utah Health says some stretching rules may be stretching the truth. Fact: There is also the misconception that because it isn’t ideal to perform static stretches before a workout, that this type of stretching is “bad.”. Static stretching is an ineffective way to warm up, as it sends an inhibitory signal to your muscles. Yes, but what’s crucial is knowing how to stretch properly. It is commonly believed that stretching will help to reduce post exercise muscle soreness also known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Theoretically, stretching before exercise should make the muscles more pliable and less likely to tear. You always want to do a little moving around before you go into a static stretch session so that the muscles can get warmed up and are much easier to get a good stretch on. What is on the table here is static stretching, where you stretch out muscles while your body is at rest. Copyright © 2020 University of Utah Health, For All U of U Health Patients & Visitors, DNV GL Public Information Policy Statement. Myth – Stretching Before Exercising Prevents Injuries By Dr. John Amundson, PT As a Physical Therapist, I get a lot of questions about stretching. Hold until you feel comfortable then move onto the next stretch. The easiest way to start incorporating dynamic stretching into your routine is to do a few warmup sets of whatever your main exercise is before moving on to your proper sets. First, we were all supposed to bend, hold and repeat before we even thought about running , lifting weights or biking. Stretching provides many benefits to your body and general well-being. researchers believe they have debunked a myth about the perceived importance of stretching before jogging hundreds of millions of joggers around the world perform static stretching exercises before going for a jog it is a daily ritual that can be seen in parks and streets everywhere however researchers from la trobe university in melbourne australia say there is no evidence to show that stretching improves … Next up, let’s take a look at the performance claim. People are often advised to stretch before working out as it elongates the muscles and helps reduce the chances of injuries and curbs soreness after exercise. For example, imagine the simple hamstring test. I mean, everyone from your parents to your high school gym teacher have been telling you that you should stretch before exercising. Myth #1 Stretching makes you weak. Myth #4: You need to stretch before exercise. The most likely reason is that holding the stretch tires out your muscles. Also studies have shown that stretching before exercise does not help prevent injury during exercise. First off, a study by Mojock et al. Let's learn the truth behind some of the most common fitness myths so that you can get the best of your workout: Is it necessary to stretch before a workout? exercise Fact: The thinking goes that loosening your muscles up pre-workout will make you nice and limber, thus minimizing the chance of any muscle tears or pulls, but a 2007 study published in the journal Research in Sports Medicine debunked that notion. Dating back to the early 1980s, the practice of static stretching before exercise was widely believed to prevent or reduce the risk of injury, and to promote performance. Fact: A study in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine states that stretching before exercise doesn't necessarily prevent injury. We’ve all been told this at one time or another – but why? This is not always the best advice. All clinical services and programs are part of University of Utah Health Hospitals and Clinics. Experts have flip-flopped on static stretching (those moves you hold for long periods of time) for decades. Is there an appropriate application for this kind of stretching? Myth #1 – Always stretch before exercising. Fact: Though stretching should be part of warming up, the muscles must be warmed before flexibility exercises. MYTH #4 Doing long, slow stretches before exercise can help prevent injury. As I mentioned before, it is pretty common knowledge that stretching precedes exercise. Stretching can take anywhere from 15–60 seconds. Still, even in these cases, static stretching will be more effective if it is done after the exercise, not before. The truth is, there is no exact dosage of time that you should be holding your stretch. Myth 5: Stretching Before Exercise Prevents Injury This particular myth is contentious. Myth: Stretching helps your body recover faster after a workout. But intense stretching can lead to even more muscle damage and pain if you aren’t careful! according to this comprehensive 4-week study on dynamic warm-ups. Let’s take a closer look at what stretching is, when to do it, and debunk 3 of the most common myths about stretching. A recent study now shows that people who stretch before their exercise routines are not exempted from the danger of pulled muscles. Research suggests that stretching before exercise makes your muscles weaker and slower (PDF, 516kb) , even though you might feel looser. When you stretch your stretch tolerance increases, but your muscle tissues are not lengthening. Any positive associations are likely due to the placebo effect and are entirely anecdotal, since solid research found no significant reductions in DOMS by stretching before/after exercise[2]. There is no evidence to back up that claim. Stretching Before/After Exercise Reduces Muscle Soreness. Myth 3: Stretching before you exercise will prevent injury. MYTHBUSTER: This type of warm-up—known as static stretching—may … Nope – at least not according to a 2010 study on Australian football players which concluded that static stretching did not aid muscle recovery at all, nor did it impact post-training soreness. Myth #2: You Shouldn’t Stretch Before Your Workout, Only After You may have heard that stretching before your muscles are warm is a bad idea. Whenever you exercise in a way that specifically involves flexibility, you should do some appropriate static stretches. MYTH #3: The longer you hold a stretch, the better. In 2006, researchers used the results from 5 controlled studies to conclude that static stretching made no difference to the frequency or likelihood of exercise-related injuries, across a variety of specific injury types and muscle groups. Fact #4: Static Stretching is Best Done After a Workout Gentle stretching after a workout is fine. Do you stretch before lifting weights? Static stretches are generally held for 30-60 seconds and while it is true they can help with flexibility, they may not be the most beneficial prior to a workout. Apparently, it’s not that simple. However, this is actually a myth. Again, this makes me think of my high school gym class. In truth, some studies suggest that pre-exercise stretching can actually increase the changes of your injury, since stretch destabilizes your muscle fibers. Instead you should focus on stretching consistently, not just before or after an exercise. before your muscles have warmed up — isn’t just useless, it can actually cause harm. Sure, you can hold the stretch for 30 seconds, but you don’t have to. Stretching will lengthen your muscle tissues. What are the actual reasons that we are supposed to stretch before working out? One specific protocol that I have found helpful is doing the following sequence of warm-up sets before lifting heavier weights. Stretching is sometimes avoided entirely. But when studies have compared rates of injury or muscle soreness in people who stretch before exercise and those who don't, they have found little benefit to stretching. You Should Always Perform Static Stretches Before Exercising Most people believe this stretching myth, even though it’s been proven time and time again to be untrue. It’s a widely believed that static stretching — the kind that involves holding a movement, such as bending over and touching your toes— makes your muscles more flexible, primes them for activity and reduces the chance of injury. In fact, some studies have associated stretching before exercising with an increased risk of injury. But what if that advice wasn’t actually very good advice at all? You may have grown up hearing this one, but it can actually do you more harm than good. MYTHBUSTER: ... "Stretching before exercise is important, but it has to be the right kind of stretching- … The problem, however, is that none of them are true – at least as they relate to static stretching before working out. Copyright © 2020 Caliber Fitness Inc. All Rights Reserved. Stretching is about increasing the tissue length. And, really, this makes perfect sense… If you’re over doing it there is a possibility you can irritate your muscles. Stretching before a workout might cause an injury. Wow, those are some pretty important-sounding benefits, huh? Gabby Gonzales. These stretches will not only keep muscles loose but also can increase range of motion and improve body awareness. For example, imagine the simple hamstring test. stretching Dating back to the early 1980s, the practice of static stretching before exercise was widely believed to prevent or reduce the risk of injury, and to promote performance. Stretching is very important, but not for the sake of #7 - Stretch before you exercise The most efficient time to stretch is after your exercise when your muscles are warm, especially if you are working on flexibility. Exercise Myth #1: You must stretch before you exercise We often hear that it is important to stretch before exercise. Researchers believe they have debunked a myth about the perceived importance of stretching before jogging. It is a daily ritual that can be seen in parks and streets everywhere. This probably includes some basic, static stretches for the muscle groups that you are going to be exercising that day. And if that is your inclination, you would be completely right: you should be doing something to warm-up before you start your proper sets. “Stretching can be an important component of your physical activity and well-being. Instead, begin by dynamically stretching the muscle groups that you are about to train, and you’ll be good to go. But do we really know how long we should stretch for? Well, based on this 2007 study on how stretching impacts muscle power production and activation, researchers concluded that it had absolutely no effect on either one. These are: Static and Dynamic. Perform light cardiovascular exercise for 5 to 10 minutes before stretching to prepare your muscles for activity. 1. Myth: Stretching prevents injuries. If we should always stretch before exercise? Myth – Stretching Before Exercising Prevents Injuries By Dr. John Amundson, PT As a Physical Therapist, I get a lot of questions about stretching. Overall, stretching both before and after exercise is thought to offer a minor reduction in soreness but no significant protection against injury. Try doing dynamic stretching or moving while you stretch. Research suggests that stretching before exercise makes your muscles weaker and slower (PDF, 516kb), even though you might feel looser. Will static stretching make you stronger, helping you lift heavier weights? The first question here is why do you stretch? It can help increase your strength, endurance, and speed, according to this comprehensive 4-week study on dynamic warm-ups. But, really, the entire process takes less than 10 minutes (resting 1 minute between each warmup set), and after those 4 sets you’ll find that you are far more ready – both physically and psychologically – for your main sets. What if stretching before your workouts provided little to no actual benefit? It’s true that if you are participating in any physical activity you may want to stretch more because you are putting your muscles through stress. The percentage who believe it: 57% What’s the first thing you do when you get to the gym? The percentage who’ve heard of it: 82%. Before we get into answering these questions, it’s important to understand the two main types. Myth No. Myth #3 Stretching increases risk of injury. MYTH #4 Doing long, slow stretches before exercise can help prevent injury. Unlike static stretching, dynamic stretching has been shown to be highly beneficial to do before your workouts. Myth #1: Stretching before exercise reduces the risk of injury. And it’s a good way to help focus on particularly tight areas in your body. But does that mean that static stretching is useless – that it should be abandoned entirely? Find a doctor or location close to you so you can get the health care you need, when you need it, 50 North Medical Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84132. “Chris, all of that sounds reasonable, but I feel like I should be doing something before attempting to lift heavy weights.”. It is simply a widespread myth that it helps that has been promoted by fitness instructors and personal trainers simply because they were told it was a good idea. MYTH. For the rest of us, however, who get most of our regular exercise in the gym lifting weights or doing cardio, static stretching just isn’t very useful. Accordingly, it is common practice for stretching exercises to be included in a warm-up session. When you sit on the ground and reach for your toes the first time you may not be able to reach. If you’re having pain and stretching provides some benefit but nothing long term, you may want to focus on strengthening those areas instead. Historically, it has been generally accepted that stretching decreases the risk of injury. You don’t need to warm up When you sit on the ground and reach for your toes the first time you may not be able to reach. This is because stretching unwarm muscles can lead to pulled muscles and muscle weakness. Guidelines on who needs to do what kind of stretching and when should be individualized, depending on The researchers from the University of Hull in England "concluded that static stretching was ineffective in reducing the incidence of exercise-related injury." What you should be doing is called ‘dynamic stretching’ – and you should be doing it for all of the key muscle groups that you will be training that day. Myth #2: You Shouldn’t Stretch Before Your Workout, Only After. This probably includes some basic, static stretches for the muscle groups that you are going to be exercising that day. However, this is actually a myth. This applies to various different sports – and, of course, gymnasts who rely on comprehensive static stretching routines to develop their flexibility. The Myth Of Stretching Before Your Workouts. Myth #1 Stretching makes you weak. So, in short, next time you get to the gym, feel free to skip all of the static stretching that you usually start with. Exercise Myth #1: You must stretch before you exercise We often hear that it is important to stretch before exercise. Perhaps you were part of a sports team in your school years, back when stretching was a priority before practice started. Aim to stretch 5 to 10 minutes before and after exercise. Get weekly emails of the latest news from HealthFeed. Please use Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge to view this site. We were sure to stretch before we were hit in the head with a dodge ball!! in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research researched the effect of static stretching upon long distance running in females and found that while static stretching increased women’s flexibility and range of motion, it had little impact upon their endurance or long distance performance. There is no solid evidence that stretching alone before a sport or activity prevents injury. Turns out static stretching doesn’t do much to reduce the occurrence of injuries. According to this research, runners run more slowly, jumpers jump less high, and weight lifters lift more weakly by stretching, without significantly ensuring against injury during their exercise. Well, no offense to my old gym teacher, but research shows that static stretching before exercise can … A recent study now After each attempt to touch your toes, you will get closer, this is because your tolerance of the stretch has improved—not because you have longer hamstrings. 4 of 14 Fact: Stretching loosens your tendons, and makes muscles feel weaker and less steady, according to a new study. Apparently, it’s not that simple. False. This is because you want your muscles to be warmed up before you do static stretching – so post-exercise is the way to go if you participate in any sports that require flexibility. And there’s some truth to that: Performing static stretches—reaching and holding in one position—is not recommended and has even been shown to hurt workout performance. Thirty years later and after volumes of research, confusion still exists whether it offers potential benefits before exercise. If you’re like many guys, you might start out by doing a little bit of stretching. Sitting and holding a cold, static stretch before you work — a.k.a. Myth 5: Stretching Before Exercise Prevents Injury. Myth #2: You Should Stretch Before Your Workout. Because you heard it’s good to stretch? Warm up by walking before cardio or doing light weights before intense training, and do stretch after a workout. From a logical perspective, tissue stiffness and a lack in range of motion (ROM) both contribute to injury, and static … Myth #1: You should stretch before your workout. While it is still commonly recommended to stretch after exercise, it may not be as protective as we thought to stretch before exercise. Stretching after exercise, magic or myth? 1: Always Stretch Before Exercise Yes, this one is a myth! The myth is that if you exercise too intensely, you end up burning carbohydrates instead of fat. “Oh! MYTH 10: You Should Always Stretch Before A Workout. When you stretch your stretch tolerance increases, but your muscle tissues are not lengthening. help reduce the chance of your getting hurt. So let’s say you start your chest workouts with the bench press. MYTH #1: YOU ONLY NEED TO STRETCH BEFORE OR AFTER A WORKOUT, NOT BOTH Fact: It’s important to stretch before and after a workout. Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Recent studies suggest that stretching doesn’t prevent injuries, and may even cause some. Light stretching may help a little bit when you are sore the day after a hard workout. A recent study challenged that old, vague admonition to stretch before exercise. This is further corroborated by a 2007 study which found that “muscle stretching does not reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness in young healthy adults.”. Myth: Always stretch before your workout Fact: Do the right type of stretches before your workout. Myth #1: You should always stretch before you start your workout. Myth #1: You should never static stretch before a workout. Stretching – what the research shows dispelling the myths and learning the truth Below is an article I found researching pre-race stretching. researchers used the results from 5 controlled studies, researchers concluded that it had absolutely no effect on either one, 2010 study on Australian football players. Myth busted. But the best time to stretch is after you exercise. Myth 5: Stretching Before Exercise Will Prevent Injury Advertisement This particular myth is contentious. Stretching after exercise, magic or myth? But what about muscle recovery and limiting post-workout soreness, does static stretching at least help with those? running Myth #1: Perform static stretches before you work out to prevent injury Many of us learned to perform static stretching prior to workouts. You’re a PT – nice. myth #1: stretching before workout prevents injury Once upon a time, stretching before workout or exercise was considered essential to prepare the body and decrease the possibility of injury. There are pro and anti-stretching arguments, with staunch support on both sides, but the confusion about stretching comes down to the fact that many confuse “stretching” with “warming up”. Thirty years later and after volumes of research, confusion still exists whether it offers potential benefits before exercise. Do you more harm than good Information Policy Statement helping you lift heavier weights application... Of motion and improve body awareness make the muscles must be warmed before flexibility exercises your. 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