Basic stretching for everyone...

[Bigmikey]

Van Zandt said he wouldnt punch me if I posted this here so I am. Its a very general, basic approach to just about total body stretching. I hope it has value to someone.

Part 1: http://thefitnessfocus.forums3.com/the-weight-room/stretching-long-last-t911.html

Part 2: http://thefitnessfocus.forums3.com/weightlifting-fitness-articles/stretching-part-definitive-look-t930.html

[Van Zandt]

'course I wouldn't punch you. (Kicking, on the other hand... ;) )

Solid stuff Mikey. Nice work. :)

[Caleb Demarais]

vanzant has a challenger lol

[SpikeD]

That is a much Hairier Avatar on the fitnes website BigMikey, Are you a bald hirsute? :) Good link though, thanks for that.

[RagingDelirium]

That is a much Hairier Avatar on the fitnes website BigMikey, Are you a bald hirsute? :) Good link though, thanks for that.

sliding into the realms of furry possibly!

[Socrastein]

There is no reason at all that people should be stretching their lumbar spine as is shown in more than one of the stretches you showed. Increased range of motion in the lower back is correlated with higher chances of injury to the spine and/or soft tissues of the lower back. Some of those stretches are unnecessary at best, and potentially injurious at worst.

Are you familiar with the work of Dr. Stuart McGill (http://www.backfitpro.com/)? He's the world's foremost expert on bio-mechanics of the spine and he has a lot to say about the dangers of trying to increase your flexibility in the way you've prescribed.

You also advocate stretching the anterior neck muscles because sitting at a computer tightens up the SCM. The scm is not a neck extensor though, so why would you expect it to contract during prolonged periods of neck extension (ie sitting in front of a computer with poor posture). You can manually feel your SCM while looking down or at a screen as you describe and quickly see that it's completely relaxed. It's used for flexing and rotating the neck, depending on whether one or both are contracted.

It's the suboccipitals and other neck extensor muscles that the vast majority of people need to be stretching, while strengthening, not stretching the neck flexors. This helps bring the cervical spine back into a neutral position, whereas stretching the neck flexors will actually exacerbate the forward head posture nearly everyone has. The anterior neck muscles respond best to soft tissue work, not static flexibility work.

[Bigmikey]

*sigh*.... its just not worth it....

[Socrastein]

That wasn't really for you Mike, it was for anyone else who comes onto the thread and decides they should be stretching their spine and neck because your title says it's good for everyone. It's clear you're a huge fan of debunking fitness myths, but aren't a big fan of having it done to you.

[Bigmikey]

That wasn't really for you Mike, it was for anyone else who comes onto the thread and decides they should be stretching their spine and neck because your title says it's good for everyone. It's clear you're a huge fan of debunking fitness myths, but aren't a big fan of having it done to you.

Don't presume to know me. I have no problem with people questioning what I post or write as long as its done with respect and not a sharply pointed barb. You seem to love to jab your finger into my chest and sneer "Whaddya think about THAT? HUH! HUH!" in the most childish way.

If you want to discuss things, fine, I'd love to discuss differing view points. But when you come at me like you're smarter than me without any idea of where I've been or what I've done.... well... that just pisses me off. I have no problem being told I'm wrong if it can be proven without question but that is difficult as so many things in the fitness world may work or not work for one but have the exact opposite result with another. Case in point: I have a close friend who competed heavily. Typical precontest diets deplete carbs dramatically with a tiny bit reintroduce at show time to bring out vascularity, etc. My friend whom I'll be glad to introduce you to, would barely reduce carbs at all and hit the stage shredded, vascular and full. Science (both real and bro) would tell us that maintaining steady carb intake is 180 degrees from what you should do and yet....

CEE is another example. You bash it. Fine, many do. But there are those for whom it works quite well. What about them? Do we discard them because they are inconvenient to the popular stance or do we keep that fact in mind when making a recommendation? "Well, C.M. works well for most but there are some who prefer CEE. You can always try both and find out which you prefer" ...

you love to come at me as though you know so much more than I do THATS why I dismiss you. Its childish and immature and I have no time for it. You can see my picture. I didnt get that way by accident. To constantly come at me as though I have no clue what I'm talking about is the highest level of disrespect as far as Im concerned and deserves the same in return.

Ya get what ya give sporto...

[Socrastein]

You seem to love to jab your finger into my chest and sneer "Whaddya think about THAT? HUH! HUH!" in the most childish way.

I didn't put any sarcastic remarks in my post, just matter of fact information about what the latest science I'm aware of says about the efficacy of increasing flexibility in the lumbar spine.

I didn't say "You still stretch your back? That's so 90s!" or anything derogatory like that.

I take full responsibility for the sarcasm of my "GNC salesman" remark, but I believe the phrase is "tit for tat" that describes me matching your sarcastic remark toward the kid who uses CM with an equally sarcastic remark toward your advocation of CEE. How was it any worse that what you said to Sam? I don't think you were rude to him, nor was I rude to you.

However if I was being childish, well... you did it first! ;)

As for the carb loading, I wasn't referring to getting ready for an aesthetic event, I was talking specifically about getting ready for an endurance event. It's very valid for prepping for a bodybuilding show or a figure competition.

CEE is another example. You bash it. Fine, many do. But there are those for whom it works quite well. What about them? Do we discard them because they are inconvenient to the popular stance or do we keep that fact in mind when making a recommendation? "Well, C.M. works well for most but there are some who prefer CEE. You can always try both and find out which you prefer" ...

I didn't bash it as in "That's so stupid LOLZ!". I gave you some matter of fact statements regarding saturation of creatine levels that you didn't address.

For every supplement that exists, there are at least a few people who would swear it works for them. Do you agree that a large percentage of supplements available on the market are shoddy at best, and a complete waste of money at worst? If so, then you must admit that there are people who swear by products that don't actually work. That's why getting down to the science helps differentiate placebo from genuine result. Do you not agree?

Just in calling me childish and immature you have already made more personal attacks than I have made in any post I've addressed you in. You seem to read between the lines what you think I intend, and then feel justified in treating me the way you PERCEIVE to be treated.

If I see something on the forums that I have reason to believe is wrong, I'll say "Here are reasons why I think that's wrong". You'll have to remind me of when/where I said I was so much smarter than you, because I can't recall ever doing so. I do recall you attacking my age at one point rather than addressing my statements.

Ya get what ya give sporto...

I wish! I give you reasons why I disagree with a point you make, I get sighs and personal attacks. Not exactly tit for tat.

[Bigmikey]

That post speaks to my point rather well. Why do you feel the need to point/counter point seemingly everything I say? To me, as I PERCEIVE that, its the same thing as folding your arms and saying "NUH UH!"... and THAT IS childish. Why not let it go and dismiss it as the ramblings of an old used-to-be rather than bring the board down with petty "I must right the wrong!" posts?

I think the difference here is I have nothing to prove and I don't care about the latest scientific this or that. Also what does "I didn't bash it as in" mean exactly. Either you put it down or you didnt? I illustrated my stance. I didn't say "don't use CM because scientifically its been proven to ...." I leave those decisions for others to make. CEE obviously works well for many, maybe the poster would have been one of those but now, because of your "science" perhaps he'll never try... what good is that? From personal experience CM caused me to bloat and constipated me to no end. CEE didn't. It tasted like absolute ARSE but I made gains and was able to poop.... win-win in my book!But had I not tried it...

My whole "thats so 90's thing" was a joke which I found funny, it wasn't intended as an insult to the poster. You admit, however that YOUR comment had an edge to it and at that point I hadn't even addressed you so you took that shot all on your own.

You say I read between the lines? Well, I can't see your body language, hear your voice, pick up on your intonation or inflection so what else do I have? Why do you think I always flood my posts with :D and :) and LOLs until they're annoying? Its to avoid misunderstanding. Unless something is clearly lighthearted or not aimed at me I read it as a pointed comment... how else can I read "How do you justify the outrageous cost???" Three question marks tells me you were pretty freakin serious about that... hence the finger jab comment "HUH?!?! HUH!?!? how do you justify it???"

I sigh at you alot because you take up so much of my time for things that don't really matter. You're never going to say "Gosh, Mikey, you're right!" and I'll probably never say "Gee, that was swell" to something you write so in the end its all wasted time - which I have little enough of as it is. So I sigh, what else can I do? Dude, in case you forgot, this is the internet. It matters so little its staggering. I used to be like you, righting every wrong, challenging every post I found fault in... but then I asked myself "why?" Whats the point? What does it get me? It proves nothing. If you have a differing opinion to something, offer it up but you don't have to challenge me. Simply say, "gosh, thats interesting! Another view on the topic is..." and post your information. No one has to be decidedly right or decidedly wrong, thats for the reader to determine.

As for the "smarter than me" thing, no, you've never said the words, its the challenging nature you take, the tone of the words you right that display a thinnly veiled condescention. Its the jab you take at what I've said directly which speaks of a desire to discredit me... all of which is disrespectful so really who DID start it, eh? :)

This grows tiresome and its not good for the board. I'll not respond in pubic again. If you want to belabor this further please do it via PM?

[alburyscott]

Sorry for coming in late, and definatly not taking sides (your both too big for me to tackle!), but there is some interesting research going on that seams to indicate that if you do not run your spinal joits through a full range of movement regularly (a few times a week at least) you risk startingearly DJD of the spine.

These papers are far from definitive, however when looking at increasing spinal flexibility, it might be worth considering (not to mention looking into the health benifits that increased proprioceptive input have.....again another possible benifit of spinal stretching).

Justworth thinking about

[Stanislovas]

"your both too big for me to tackle"

Double meaning?