Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
2/22/2011 9:13 AM
A plethora of recent studies have shown that static actually weakens muscles before strength training, therefore exposing you to a greater risk of injury. It was in fact showed that static also increases your risk of muscle tears before soccer and rugby matches.
Plus static stretching statically makes you feel like you as dynamic as boiled fettuccini. Static stretches before a power clean is as good as smoking a reefer the size of a St-Louis slugger.
Static stretching should instead be performed 4 to 6 hours post-workout since it involves the parasympathetic nervous system. This would permit the body to relax following an intense workout. For some reason, if you need flexibility to do a certain lift like the squat, do P.N.F. stretching. Certain lifts like full squats require higher levels of flexibility to perform, thus requiring for some individuals some mobilization before loading. To quote my colleagues Anne Fredericks and the late Mel Siff , PNF, not static stretching is the best type of stretching to perform before lifting weights. Fredericks and Siff have advanced that PNF stretching is superior to static stretching before a workout since it helps to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system (responsible for the fight or flight response).
In case you are not familiar with PNF stretching, it stands for proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. This method has been used for years by physical therapists and athletic trainers in the rehab processes.
Describing all the possible P.N.F. methods goes beyond the scope of this article. Please refer to Michael J. Alter’s The Science of Stretching (Human Kinetics) for more information.
Keep in mind that the effects of P.N.F. stretching will last 4 to 6 hours. Twenty years ago, we were told by the University teachers that should exert maximal force (100%) during the isometric contraction. This advice has unfortunately led to many muscle tears. However in the mid-eighties some evidence came out that one should in fact only need to contract at a suggestive 25% of maximal strength to inhibit the inhibitory mechanims. This offers a few advantages;
1. Decrease the likelyhood of getting injured dramatically, by building strength at the extremes of range of motion.
2. Does not reduce the blood supply to the muscles like lengthy static stretching methods does.. Hypoxia has been shown to increase connective tissue build-up thus creating losses of strength and flexibility that can only be alleviated by soft tissue work.
3. Gains of flexibility are amazingly rapid.. Within 3 or 4 P.N.F. contractions one unflexible subject can gain easily 4 to 6 inches of range of motion.
If you keep these principles in mind about stretching before lifting, you can enjoy far more productive workouts.
Copyright ©2011 Charles Poliquin
19 comment(s) so far...
Re: Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
Thanks as always for the great info Charles
Jud Logan
4X USA Olympian
By JUD LOGAN on
2/22/2011 9:45 AM
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Re: Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
This is great info I will use it with my general population clients.
MAC Champion 2007
By Dave Lawrence on
2/22/2011 10:43 AM
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Re: Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
In one of the works about static stretching I've read there also was an info that it can decrease your maximal strength up to 10%. On the other hand I know lots of coaches in my country in different disciplines that have their athletes do static stretching before weights.
By Jakub Jaworski on
2/22/2011 10:48 AM
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Re: Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
Thanks for the advice, Coach!
Is that also valid in the case of streching the hip flexors before squatting increase hip flexibility?!
best regards
Moritz
By Moritz on
2/22/2011 11:02 AM
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Re: Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
"University teachers that should exert maximal force (100%) during the isometric contraction. This advice has unfortunately led to many muscle tears." ...Not to mention the even greater strength needed by the therapist! Particularly when working with a very strong male...with very strong and very tight hamstrings...Who's at the greatest risk for muscle tears? Patient or therapist? Very important detail to know.
By Eric Gagnon on
2/22/2011 11:47 AM
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Re: Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
Amazing Post! I will stop doing static stretching before lifting weights with my baseball players. I am really eating up all your stuff that you write Coach Poliquin! Would love to meet you sometime.
#1 Personal Trainer on the North Shore of Chicago
By Brett Kobecke on
2/22/2011 12:11 PM
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Re: Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
Charles,
Dear god thank you for posting this.
By Erik Ciccarelli on
2/22/2011 12:21 PM
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Re: Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
Great stuff, always trying to get this fact across to my pts. and runners.
By Brent on
2/22/2011 2:02 PM
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By Patrick on
4/7/2011 9:20 PM
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Re: Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
static stretching i very boring
By alexander Schive Bjerck on
4/28/2011 3:35 PM
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Re: Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
PNF are painful, vi learn PNF on the PICP level 2 today, PAIN
By alexander Schive Bjerck on
4/28/2011 3:37 PM
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Re: Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
@Alex The stretching session today was really great but also painfull. But it helped me a lot!
Will do it more in the future!
By Christian Holle on
4/28/2011 5:13 PM
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Re: Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
It was very good:) great teachers..
By alexander Schive Bjerck on
4/28/2011 6:32 PM
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Re: Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
ahaha great!
when i played soccer, warm up before match only static stretch...mmm luckly ever injuries but my crew each day muscle tears and strain...
By Salvatore Trotta on
4/29/2011 1:05 AM
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Re: Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
wow!!!! it's fantastic if you wanna kill your self ahahahahahahah!!
Salvatore Trotta
By Salvatore Trotta on
4/29/2011 1:08 AM
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Re: Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
trust me that it work.... notify the head..tomorrow i stay at home for recover!
salvatore trotta
By Salvatore Trotta on
4/29/2011 10:54 AM
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Re: Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
nice to be home:)
By alexander Schive Bjerck on
4/30/2011 4:23 PM
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re:
Thanks for the concise and informative article. This is truly a great read for me. Here’s another source that is also worth a look about the same.
Cholo
www.techblog.ws
InfoResearcher
By InfoResearcher on
5/26/2011 9:57 PM
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Re: Tip 36: Why you should never do static stretching before lifting weights
My background is gymnastics so my question is does this hold true for gymnastics and dance activity where we need to do excessive spinal extension movements and high velocity split leaps. I'm a big believer in PNF, it's very effective for flexibility gains but we haven't used it in warm ups at this point. Sounds like we should.
By Tina Angelotti on
9/29/2011 1:12 PM
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