Static Stretching Debate

Training Bodybuilding
1

I thought I’d start a thread devoted to debating the values and detriments of static stretching.

A lot of recent literature has lead people to believe that static stretching is going to decrease strength. Dynamic flexibilty is suggested as an alternative that won’t effect strength in a negative way.

My question is do we stretch for strength? Taking my own experiences into account along with the experiences I’ve had with clients, I still believe that static stretching is the best means for improving range of motion in or around a joint, especially in the lower body.

I’ve also experienced the value of dynamic stretching in order to increase range through the shoulder and chest. But with the lower body, static stretching seems not only to be the best means for improving range and the best way to track progression.

I certainly don’t advocate stretching for it’s own sake. I have found that there’s certain goals for range of motion that should be met in order to decrease risk of injury and increase range of motion to facilitate much more sound mechanics in a given movement pattern. Once that range is reached, only maintenance is necessary.

Bottom line, to study the effects of static stretching on strength is useful. But to say that static stretching is useless due to the literature stating that it decreases strength is short sighted. So, as I asserted before, do we stretch for strength?

2

This has been recently discussed in the Dog Pound, so you might want to check that thread out.

3

im with you. i stretch for injury prevention and to loosen up. if i lose 3lbs on my bench press then so be it, at least ill be able to train again next week.

4

Char Dawg,

Got to tell you, the Dog Pound is pretty useless to me. I’m not one of the worthy T-Peeps with a password, so I can’t post. Sorry if I’m just rehashing, but I rarely read the Dog Pound because there’s been very little of interest there lately.

P-Dog, I assume that’s the attitude of the majority, considering the response. Now if we can just get those misinformed souls to stop stretching there pecs between sets of bench press and stretching on off days, we’ll be set.

To anyone else - How many of you devote training microcycles to improving flexibilty and joint range. I tend to include this when I teach a client a new variation on the squat or deadlift. It’s amazing hoe body awareness can imporve when flexibility is improved.