Thread: Whats your preworkout stretching routine?

My pre-workout stretching consists of nothing..I stretch after training when my muscles are warm, lose and pliable...

Lately I just been jumping rope for about 5 min to warm up…

i usually do some running before my workout.. it gets all my muscles warmed up

Originally posted by LAM
My pre-workout stretching consists of nothing..I stretch after training when my muscles are warm, lose and pliable...

WORD

Originally posted by I Are Baboon



WORD

WORD UP. Stretching before is really waste of time IMO, it's better to bring the rubber band back to it's original length after you tighten it up.

My pre-workout stretching consists of bending down to tie my shoes and sometimes twisting my neck to see the girls on the cardio equipment.

I stretch a little between sets and a little when I'm done.
You want to warm up the muscles before lifting heavy, NOT stretching them.

Stretching?

i reach to the high cabinet to get a protein bar... does that count?

Upper Body workout pre stretch. I always warm up the back esp. lower back and get the kinks out! I use the rubber ball. Start from the back of the neck/Trapezius and roll down to the lower back with my hands touching the ground and 1/2 the weight resting on my head. Great stretch for everything depending on the hand postions! I have my client take DB weights and hold them into a fly movement to get a good stretch. (Feet together for balance!) Otherwise, I usually will target the Body part I am working that moment directly.

For legs- Definitely 12 mins with the bike!
Stretch using basic stretches for the quads and hams.

Quads- Standing grab one leg with opposite hand bending/soft knees
Hams- Anything I can put the foot up on!

I usually do mild stretching between my excersizes, sometimes before as well. If you don't stretch science says (if someone wants to say this is false go for it) that if you don't stretch and you lift weights, you will lose flexibility. I can tell you that mine has gone down in the last couple months for sure.

Thanks some funny and useful responses!

I have been stretching and warming up all of my weak points. I'm 38 years old and they are adding up believe me LOL.

In my 20 odd years of fitness training I have never had to do stretching. I always noticed decreased flexiblity and stiffness when I was lifting real heavy(back in college). Well now I'm starting to workout again after a 2 year break due to the big C. I have also been doing the same stretching that martial arts people do and seems to be the answer! I'll start hitting the heavy bag for cardio since my knees are in pretty bad shape.

Later

as others have said you really do not want to stretch a cold muscle, you do want to warm up, but not stretching.

IMHO. You'd probably like to warm up your muscles before you touch the weights (that includes before warm up sets).

This is what I do:

1. 5-10 light cardio to get your muscles warm and get the blood flowing. (I bike to the gym)

2. Stretch. ( 5min )

3. Work out ( Usually with one warm up set for each exercise ).

you are better off stretching after your work-out, not before.

Got it. Warm up before sets. Stretch after. Thanks all!!

I always stretch before workouts to warm up

http://www.getfitta.co.uk/fh_stretchingexercises.asp

more for safety reasons than anything else.

Does walking around for 10 mins in 100 degree (not including the humidity index) weather count for a warm up????

If you feel you must stretch before a workout, warmup for at least 5 minutes on the treadmill or bike before you stretch, otherwise just stretch after your workout.