After barely surviving my posts on stability, I am reluctant to dispute someone like Ian King, especially on this forum, but I am a little confused by this topic.
Ian King, by his own admission, goes against the “experts” in his adherance to static stretching.
I posed the question of static stretching to strength coach Bill Hartman, who says this:
[quote]The type of flexibility training applied to anyone’s training program should support the needs of the individual based on the demands of the chosen activity.
For those NOT interested in sports performance, static stretching methods are sufficient.
When planning an athlete’s flexibility training you must also consider specific movement patterns, speed of movement, and loads which are not addressed with static forms of flexibility training.
Ideal methods in this case include full ROM strength training and isometric stretching which promotes flexibility-strength especially at end ROM, and progressive, dynamic stretches in which the athlete performs movements near and at end ROM at progressively faster speeds to develop flexibility-speed capabilities. These types of activities also reduce the difference between passive and active flexibility (flexibility deficit).
A low flexibility deficit promotes injury prevention. Static stretching promotes a flexibility reserve against unexpected movements beyond normal ROM, but does not affect the flexibility deficit. Full ROM strength training,dynamic stretches, and isometric stretching will increase both static (passive) and dynamic (active) flexibility.
All methods of flexibility training is not created equal. There are times an places where each method may be ideal.
In regard to static stretching before activity…
Static stretching has been shown to reduce power output in vertical jump tests. Therefore it is not recommended prior to activities which require any significant levels of power. It is also not systemic, but rather isolative in nature as a warm-up and therefore may be insufficient as a form of warm-up whereas dynamic stretches tend to be more full body exercise which increases systemic body temperature (based on sweating patterns) and can be performed in more sport specific manners in preparation for specific activities.[/quote]
Ian King says this:
[quote]Most of what I’ve said so far (nothing new or controversial) would be backed up by most “experts.” So now let me run something by you that’s less politically correct: I like static stretching. I know, I know…current trends in sport science have found favor in other methods, like dynamic stretching. But, in my opinion, it’s all part of a circle that’s slowly turning. Static stretching was the big hit in the '80s, and I suggest that it will be again.
But it gets worse?I believe in static stretching before the workout! How could I? Has my head been baking too long in the Australian sun? Don’t I know that none of the “experts” support this, and neither does any of the “science?” Blah, blah, blah…
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Rehab expert, Rob Tillman (who has rehabilitated many famous NFL athletes, including Troy Aikman), claims that static stretching even after the workout is bad. His analogy was that stretching the joints and the fascia is like stretching out your favorite sweater… once you have done that it will never hang the same. In the same way, once you have stretched that tissue it cannot return to its original form, and that overflexibility in the shoulder capsule is one of the big reasons so many people get shoulder injuries, particularly pitchers and quarterbacks. He says that to increase flexibility we must “reteach” our muscles a wider range of motion. He showed me some really good exercises and I must admit, I noticed an marked improvement immediately in my hams.
Some of you on here are coaches and/or athletes. Which method do you use? I can’t understand why King would use static training for athletes BEFORE a workout if the studies show a REDUCTION in force output following static stretching. Does anyone else support this method?