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Warm up and stretching

502 views 11 replies 9 participants last post by  js77 
#1 ·
Putting it out there to ask what others warm ups or post workout routines are.
I used to always spend time with dynamic stretches for about 10 minutes before all my workouts but if late I’ve not kept it up. I always do warm up sets on bigger lifts up to working sets but I now don’t do the dynamic stretching prior.
I have never done any post workout stretches or cool down stuff. Would this be correct if me or am I missing out and not doing something right.
 
#3 ·
I used to stretch after 90% of sessions from mid/late teens to about 27 no injuries, stretching made its way out of my routines due to time/laziness and gym space and after so long injuries started to pop up.
I think stretching is highly underrated and doesn’t get the attention it should from most average gym goers.
I have, since having injuries been more dedicated to stretching again. It has certainly helped me carry on with training and stop injuries getting worse and some have improved.
 
#5 ·
Putting it out there to ask what others warm ups or post workout routines are.
I used to always spend time with dynamic stretches for about 10 minutes before all my workouts but if late I’ve not kept it up. I always do warm up sets on bigger lifts up to working sets but I now don’t do the dynamic stretching prior.
I have never done any post workout stretches or cool down stuff. Would this be correct if me or am I missing out and not doing something right.
@Jeremybeadleshand do you do stretches before, after or both now?
I’ll be honest I find them just time consuming plus I just want to get stuck in………howether I don’t want injuries to creep in so wondered what’s the norm here.
for example on push day I’ll perform 2 or 3 dynamic warm up exercises. (I have impingement on rhs and acromion injury on lbs)
Arm swings/circles
band pull apart’s
Side lying abduction with light dumbbells

it just preps my shoulders before I start banging weight on the bar.
Load the bar slowly and steadily so if anything feels off I can avoid injury.
once the workout is complete I’ll just do some simple static stretching for all muscles used during that workout.
Overhead triceps stretch
Door way pec stretch
Lat stretch
Arm across body stretch
You get the drift.
Simple yet effective, does add around 10-15 mins on a gym session but it’s worth it if you want to be able to train for the duration of your life.
 
#8 ·
Back in my Muay Thai days I’d go through my leg/back stretches before every weights session, took about 10-15mins. This was always to the point I could sit in the splits without discomfort and then stretch a bit further.
These days I just do lower back rehab exercises pre work and later in the day after the gym. I also do Wstretches with bands during warm up sets on chest and shoulder training days.
 
#9 ·
If you stretch before lifting weights(or any exercise) you can pre fatigue the muscle, ending up with sub optimal lifts/a sub optimal workout. Therefore inhibiting growth/strength increases.

stretching before exercise is also not a way to stop injuries during the following exercise session.

stretch afterward or at non exercise times. I.e on a day off at home etc.

Article relating to this topic
 
#11 ·
If you stretch before lifting weights(or any exercise) you can pre fatigue the muscle, ending up with sub optimal lifts/a sub optimal workout. Therefore inhibiting growth/strength increases.

stretching before exercise is also not a way to stop injuries during the following exercise session.

stretch afterward or at non exercise times. I.e on a day off at home etc.

Article relating to this topic
Luckily I was stretching beforehand then as the gym had no more Olympic 20’s left. 12 plates, 6 a side. I doubt the bars they had would have taken much more weight to be fair, it would flex a lot.
 
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#12 ·
Putting it out there to ask what others warm ups or post workout routines are.
I used to always spend time with dynamic stretches for about 10 minutes before all my workouts but if late I’ve not kept it up. I always do warm up sets on bigger lifts up to working sets but I now don’t do the dynamic stretching prior.
I have never done any post workout stretches or cool down stuff. Would this be correct if me or am I missing out and not doing something right.
Warm the muscle and concentrate on mobility.
Imagine the muscle as being a metal chain. Warming it and increasing its ease of movement will improve its abillty to move and handle a load without snapping. Stretching it will do nothing apart from potentially hindering this.
Adam Bishop explained this to me after I tore my ham 6 months ago. The big fcuker trains at my gym.
He explained it a lot better than this obviously because I’m limited in the vocab department but hopefully you’ll get the general gist 🥴.
 
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