Does building leg muscle decrease flexability??

[*MiKe*]

Hello
I wonder if anyone can help me?
I am thinking of building leg muscle for power in my kicks, but i am woried that if i build bulk i would loose flexibilty.
Can anyone help? thanks

[Gary]

Only if you dont stretch.

[*MiKe*]

Thanks

[Yohan]

Just as an aside it's best not to do static stretches before a weight workout.

[SWEHurricane]

Just as an aside it's best not to do static stretches before a weight workout.

Why not? And how about afterwards?

[Gary]

Afterwards is fine, but before a workout you should be using a dynamic stretching routine. Static stretching can make you weaker, damaging your performance.

[slipthejab]

Someone please post a picture of Ronnie Coleman doing splits. For that matter... MAP member Kwan Jang(?) on here is a flexible mug and has a good amount of muscle mass as well.

So no... big muscles doesn't = no flexibility. No stretching and no flexibility conditioning = no flexibility.

The myth that big muscles = inflexibility is about on the same level as big muscles = slow speed. Both of which are just that... a myth. ;)

[*MiKe*]

I was just curious because im a newbie at this and im sure i dont have the experience and knowledge as alot of you guys, but I think its great learning off other people.
Im not saying you cant have mass and flexibility but it would shorten your muscles when it builds bulk if you dont stretch hence making you stiffer and less flexible. No??

[Sparkle]

You can also do muscle building exercises that will actually help your flexibility. Like working on being able to do an ATG squat with the weight on your heels (which takes work aside from the actual workout for most people to build up to) or doing one leg squats (pistols) or ham glute raises. If you work out with a full range of motion and continue to gain more of a range of motion you'll get more flexible.

[Kwan Jang]

Full range squats (ATG) and still leg deadlifts are the two key exercises in developing overall leg strength and mass. They are also great for increasing flexibility (as others have mentioned. Slip already mentioned Ronnie Coleman's and my flexibility and both of us have over 30 inch muscular thighs (thanks for the plug, the check is in the mail :) ). Tom Platz's thigh development would blow away even Ron's (let alone mine, though we all squat in the 800+ range) and he can do full front and side splits as well.

For the most part, I'm just reiterating the good advice that others have already given, but the myth of losing speed, stretch, or athletic abililty from building muscle mass is simply a myth. The truth is actually the exact opposite, though. With proper training methods, you will increase these factors by improving your lean muscle mass as long as you keep it in proper proportion and balance along the natural strength curve of your body.

If you still have any doubts, some of my students put up some vids of me on youtube under KJN David Hughes and it shows a good example of the long term benefits of weight training on your kicks (though of the clips they put in, only the comedy sketch really shows any of my speed...prior to the slow motion section).

[slipthejab]

Tom Platz's thigh development would blow away even Ron's (let alone mine, though we all squat in the 800+ range) and he can do full front and side splits as well.

I often wondered how flexible he was. I knew that many of the big pro guys are really flexible. But the size of the thighs on Platz is almost obscene - but that right there is the only proof anyone ever needs... he's about as wide as he is tall... and he's still incredibly flexible.. :D

[SWEHurricane]

Afterwards is fine, but before a workout you should be using a dynamic stretching routine. Static stretching can make you weaker, damaging your performance.

Ok thanks, I didn't know that.

But how about if you first warm up, do static stretching, then work out? And does this only apply to weighttraining?

I feel like I have to do static stretching before every MA session. Otherwise I can barely move.

[narcsarge]

Someone please post a picture of Ronnie Coleman doing splits. For that matter... MAP member Kwan Jang(?) on here is a flexible mug and has a good amount of muscle mass as well.

So no... big muscles doesn't = no flexibility. No stretching and no flexibility conditioning = no flexibility.

The myth that big muscles = inflexibility is about on the same level as big muscles = slow speed. Both of which are just that... a myth. ;)

Okee dokee (thanks Incredible Bulk ;) ):

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/1719/soscomp70jv0.jpg

[*MiKe*]

ok, i can see what you mean by strengthening legs+stretching legs
=strong flexible legs.
But looking at it the other way round people say static stretching etc weaken legs and if so quadricep stretching would weaken the front kick. any ideas?

[TMA]

Mike it's not that static stretching will permanently weaken the muscle.

I don't have all the scientific references to hand, but general athletic opinion these days is that static stretching before training is not the best way to prepare the muscle and may lead to a temporary loss of performance, although static stretching an antagonist muscle may actually be beneficial, but thats a whole other topic.

Also when you are kicking you are not using static flexibility, kicking is a dynamic movement and so dynamic stretching will better serve you in your warm up to increase your range of motion and prevent injury.

As has been pointed out by others its an old myth that strength training will reduce flexibility, as evidenced by the photo above :)
As long as you stretch as well as strength train properly you will be fine. Muscle strength in a stretched position will actually help increase your flexibility.

[Jimmy Wand-Yu]

Bruce Lee was good at kicking, so you could study the way he kicked and trained. I think he used the aid of the hip at kicking, not merely snapping the knee with the help of the leg muscles....

[Yohan]

The best time to stretch is not before a workout, as it increases the length of the tissue. You want your tissue to contract when you work out, so static stretching before a workout will hurt your workout.

It's not the best time to stretch out after a workout either because your nerves will be freaking out and won't let your muscles stretch to their full capacity. The best time is a few hours after working out when you are kickin it at the house.

[wires]

Hello
I wonder if anyone can help me?
I am thinking of building leg muscle for power in my kicks, but i am woried that if i build bulk i would loose flexibilty.
Can anyone help? thanks

Thickness does not mean inflexible so long as you work out in a full range of motion and stretch properly.

A lot of guys who lift weights are far more flexible than your average sedentary couch sitter.

[Tanglang1989]

Call me an idiot (or a non-native speaker.. for that is what I am :D), but what on earth is 'static stretching' and how about 'dynamic stretching'?

Thanks.

[narcsarge]

Call me an idiot (or a non-native speaker.. for that is what I am :D), but what on earth is 'static stretching' and how about 'dynamic stretching'?

Thanks.

:google:


Static Stretching (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Static_stretching)

Dynamic Stretching (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_stretching)

[Tanglang1989]

.... ouch.
Idiot will not even sufice.
Thanks.

[TheCount]

I just thought I would jump in even though this has been here for a bit.

Muscle bulk doesn't limit flexibility, it can potentially limit certain ranges of movement but it takes a LOT to do that. If you keep stretching after you train then you are sorted.

Two things: Above a certain point your entire kick is in fact governed by your lower abs so you will want to be training them as well.

If you really build up your inner leg you may find discomfort crossing your legs :p