# Stretching... who knew?



## nacho (Apr 3, 2007)

OK.. we all know. I neglect it. No more.

I hope to save someone from having to go through what is essentially a tight quad that will push the patella in and cause pain. Tough to figure out, but kept me off the bike for weeks.
IT band, torn meniscus... wtf? nobody could tell. 

Got the MRI and had an Osteo (DO) look. Basically he put got me on massage and stretching...physio wreaking havoc on me.

Have to say it is a lack of proper stretching...and getting older and less flexible.
Unbelievable.. 

This nails it just right.
If You Don’t Like to Stretch, Find Another Job | Manual for Speed


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## Sean.B (Jul 20, 2012)

After talking with 3 or 4 doctors, I'm almost positive the reason I herniated three lumbar discs is from having incredibly tight hip flexors (Psoas specifically) and weak and inactive glutes. Called gluteal amnesia, common in distance runners and cyclists. I'm only 23 years old btw. 

Stretching is now more important than training to me. 

My advice to you is try and find someone who provides Active Release Technique, A.R.T, It's soft tissue manipulation, very similar to a foam roller except the provider can pin point specific muscles and locate trigger points in those muscles. And than he puts that muscle through range of motion while applying pressure. Painful, but it's been effective for my after what I'll call a failed back surgery.


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## RaptorTC (Jul 20, 2012)

I've had tight hamstrings all my life and used to have a lot of trouble with them. This trouble climaxed in high school when I got an avulsion fracture of my pelvis. Since then I've taken extra care to make sure I take extra time to stretch really well.


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## Saaboy (Jun 11, 2006)

nacho said:


> OK.. we all know. I neglect it. No more.
> 
> I hope to save someone from having to go through what is essentially a tight quad that will push the patella in and cause pain. Tough to figure out, but kept me off the bike for weeks.
> IT band, torn meniscus... wtf? nobody could tell.
> ...


Feel better Nacho...

I've realized within the last year that i'd been neglecting stretching for a long time now. I started doing forward folds regularly for my hamstrings and lower back starting a few months ago, and immediately felt the difference on the bike! I really like that link by the way, and have been slowly putting together a small kit like his... in fact, im leaving to home depot right now for my "roller"


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## tturner (Mar 18, 2012)

there are some other very cool tools out there for self mobilization and trigger point therapy. yes, I am biased, these are my creation. We sell almost exclusively to PTs but I have thought these would be great for the cycling community.

http://www.massageblocks.com


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## pigpen (Sep 28, 2005)

I have always hated stretching. To a point I never did it.
Week and a half ago I tore my calf muscle playing tennis.
Cross season over before it even started. 

Being mid 40's guess it is time to start stretching, once I heal. Was on crutches for the past week.
Other than over use injuries this is my first true one.


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

yoga 3 to 5 times a week.

does a body good.


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## Erion929 (Jun 10, 2010)

Are you guys talking about stretching before, or after, cycling? 

Cuz there are quite a few posts that I researched here, where veteran cyclists swore stretching prior to cycling was either useless or harmful to cold muscles......so I quit stretching prior to riding.

**


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## moskowe (Mar 14, 2011)

I am 99% confident stretching before a ride is harmful to your muscles. There is a ton of research out there to show it. The problem is, I'm sure a lot of people are 99% sure of the opposite, and have tons of research out there to show it as well. It's one of the eternal debates of sports, the warmup/stretch or the stretch/stretch for before/after exercise.

Personally, I have very tight IT bands so I absolutely need to stretch after long rides and hard intervals, otherwise the next day both my upper leg and my knee start hurting. I first noticed it after upping my training for racing a year and a half ago, and after going to a sports doctor was recommended specific stretching + foam rolling after rides. When I stop doing it the pain just comes back, so I don't have a choice.


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## czmiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Erion929 said:


> Are you guys talking about stretching before, or after, cycling?
> 
> Cuz there are quite a few posts that I researched here, where veteran cyclists swore stretching prior to cycling was either useless or harmful to cold muscles......so I quit stretching prior to riding.
> 
> **


You better don't try to stretch before ANY activity! In doing so you extremely increase your chances of getting a more or less serious injury, because your body ain't warm enough for it! You should better stretch after or during the activity. A good idea is to ride 15-30 minutes as a warm-up activity and then do a little stretching.


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## NateDieselF4i (Sep 16, 2012)

There's a big difference between static and dynamic stretching and how it affects your muscles.

For me? Dynamic warm ups before any rigorous physical activity. 

Static stretches / foam rollers after. Although I'm pretty inconsistent with the follow up stretches!


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

I'm horribly inconsistant with streching Never do it before a ride, only during a ride if I feel "tightness" or "cramps" coming on. Only about 50% of the time after a ride.

I should do more I know - it's a habit really and you just have to work at it a couple of weeks before it will become a habit.


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## SauronHimself (Nov 21, 2012)

My personal experience with stretching is that I perform better thanks to a larger range of motion, and afterwards I experience far less soreness or cramping.


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## heybrady (Jul 3, 2011)

Can someone recommend some effective stretches? I have very tight hamstrings and hips, which has caused lower back strains in the past and recently a strained groin while playing hockey. I would like to spend the winter becoming more flexible so I can start to ride in the spring in better shape.


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## UtahCyclist (Dec 4, 2012)

I feel your pain. I get so annoyed with taking extra time out of my workout to stretch. I got a massage the week before a half ironman and I was told that I was the tightest person she's ever worked on. I took this as a compliment at first, but then realized how much less pain I would be in if I would take the five to ten minutes to stretch. I also try to put one yoga/stretching day in my workout plans every week.


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## Bizman (Apr 27, 2011)

heybrady said:


> Can someone recommend some effective stretches? I have very tight hamstrings and hips, which has caused lower back strains in the past and recently a strained groin while playing hockey. I would like to spend the winter becoming more flexible so I can start to ride in the spring in better shape.


This is the stretching routine that I learned and we did at the beginning of each martial arts class 35 years ago. I stopped doing martial arts about 30 years ago but kept doing my stretching (I should have kept doing my forms too). Although we did some push-ups and sit-ups in class I added my own twist using the number of my age 28 years ago. I do the routine below in that order 6 days a week first thing when I get up in the morning. Gets me ready for the day!

Feet spread, hands on hips, Starting with your head, slowly do circles in both directions.

Standing with legs spread, swing arms (only) back and forth side to side and gradually work your hips with swinging your arms.

Feet together, and resting hands on hips rotate hips in circles in both directions keeping your head and feet in the same position/plane.

Feet together, bend over and touch your fingers or palms of your hands to the floor (or as far as you can until working up to touching fingers and palms to the floor) several times until you feel ready to move on.

Feet spread, bend over with hands together pushing arms down and back between your legs 3 times and back up putting your hands on your hips pushing your hips forward 3 times. Repeat until loose and ready to move on.

Feet spread, put hands on hips and rotate in both directions, till loose and move on.

Left foot turned and pointing to the left away from your body and right foot pointed to the front of you bend toward the left and get close to the floor then repeat going to the right side.

Get on floor and put left leg straight out while keeping right leg tucked to your side, push your upper body and head down toward the floor on each side of your left leg and to the right as best as possible till things feel loose and ready to move on, then repeat with other leg straight out and other leg tucked.

Sitting on floor with legs spread as far apart as possible push upper body and head to the floor in all directions and on the outside of each spread leg until loose and ready to move on.

Sitting on floor put legs together in front of you and push your body and head down to touch your legs and the floor on the outside of each leg.

Now do your age in sit-ups, then with push-ups, for me that is 53. If you are just getting started do 1-5 sit-ups and push-ups and gradually work up to your age. Don't rush it! I started with "5" for months then went to 10. 

I figured if I can't take 10 seconds a day to do 5 sit-ups and 5 push ups I am pretty lazy . That's how I rationalized it but in the end it paid off because I have got into the routine of doing this 6 days a week for all these years and have no plans to stop, trying to live to 100!

I hope this can help you, Good luck to you!


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## rbelleza (Sep 8, 2012)

UtahCyclist said:


> I feel your pain. I get so annoyed with taking extra time out of my workout to stretch. I got a massage the week before a half ironman and I was told that I was the tightest person she's ever worked on. I took this as a compliment at first, but then realized how much less pain I would be in if I would take the five to ten minutes to stretch. I also try to put one yoga/stretching day in my workout plans every week.


+1 for yoga...great stretching and a focus on the core


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## kmunny19 (Aug 13, 2008)

czmiel said:


> You better don't try to stretch before ANY activity! In doing so you extremely increase your chances of getting a more or less serious injury, because your body ain't warm enough for it! You should better stretch after or during the activity. A good idea is to ride 15-30 minutes as a warm-up activity and then do a little stretching.


yep. in the last few years, plenty o' research stating that dynamic warm-up, with stretching after activity is the way to go. Or, dynamic warm up, followed by stretching, with hours of rest, then dynamic warm-up before activity.

Stretching cold can easily lead to injury, serious, or at least micro-tearing, requiring energy to heal/recover from, and increasing risk of injury during activity. 

Warm-up then stretch, with hours rest then warm up again, or just dynamic warm-up has been shown to decrease injury during activity.

Stretching after activity has been found to be the best way to actually gain length of the muscles, and more effectively and safely. I haven't seen anything definitive as to whether it aids recovery from the activity, but some find it does.

This is based on numerous journal articles, peer reviewed studies, seminar talks, etc. that I have seen. I don't have a specific source, and won't look one up when someone complains. 

Based on what most of the responses have been, its also appearing that this is becoming more like "common knowledge" and I'm glad to see it here.


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## r1lee (Jul 22, 2012)

Never stretched for anything.. Still going strong at 36


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## Gervase (Aug 22, 2009)

r1lee said:


> Never stretched for anything.. Still going strong at 36


Lucky you...
This is such and excellent post/ thread.
I too have learnt' the hard way the value of stretching. I could never even touch my toes all my life, so what i thought. Prolapsed a disc in my lower back with 160kg on my tenth rep, & my life changed...
one of my friends is yoga master and his recovery is unequalled, I am convinced it's due to his flexibility and increased blood flow throughout his system.
I too find the old back playing up when I neglect those Quad stretches. I would also like to add that I find stretching my Calves actually takes away soreness in my knees? obviously connected somehow.


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## Bizman (Apr 27, 2011)

Gervase said:


> Lucky you...
> This is such and excellent post/ thread.
> I too have learnt' the hard way the value of stretching. I could never even touch my toes all my life, so what i thought. Prolapsed a disc in my lower back with 160kg on my tenth rep, & my life changed...
> one of my friends is yoga master and his recovery is unequalled, I am convinced it's due to his flexibility and increased blood flow throughout his system.
> I too find the old back playing up when I neglect those Quad stretches. I would also like to add that I find stretching my Calves actually takes away soreness in my knees? obviously connected somehow.


I actually stretch for my health, flexibility, back, and body, not necessarily for just riding the bike. I stretch in the morning when I first get up, sometimes I don't ride till afternoon or even night.


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## UrbanPrimitive (Jun 14, 2009)

To my mind the stretch/don't stretch debate makes as much sense as people debating the best way to use a wrench as a hammer. Stop using the tool incorrectly and the problems disappear. My thoughts are covered in the section on warming up found here.

OP - I'm glad you got some good help and know how to prevent your problems from coming back. Keep up the good work and remember to hydrate like crazy before and after a serious stretch/massage session.


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## Bevo (Dec 26, 2012)

I don't 100% agree with a good warm up before stretching as I like to stretch all the time. The most important thing with stretching is not to stretch to pain, you want to just get to the tightness and lightly stretch it.
Looking at Yoga, I don't think I ever had a class where we ran or rode bikes for 15 min before the class starts, it just starts with easy stretches.

Another thing mentioned is the muscle imbalance, so much time is spent on the bike that only those muscles are activated. I found doing squats, lunges twice a week with weights really helps hit those muscles that don't get used.


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## jlandry (Jan 12, 2007)

Please delete.


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