Everything You Know is Wrong

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by tellner, Nov 7, 2008.

  1. tellner

    tellner Valued Member

    Well, maybe not everything. But according to current research reported in the New York Times the static stretching we were all taught is wrong, dead wrong. It actually weakens muscles and can hurt your performance.

     
  2. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    Erm, nothing new here? MAP's stretching section would have put them straight on this years ago.

    It's like Kurz never happened :)

    Mitch
     
  3. Yohan

    Yohan In the Spirit of Yohan Supporter

    Yep - pretty much common knowledge at this point. Static stretching still has it's place, of course, but a dynamic warmup is much more effective.
     
  4. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    Seems like more people trying to jump on the "static stretching is baaad" bandwagon.

    Truth is, static stretching will only damage your muscles if you immediately follow said stretches with a dynamic-type activity. Muscle tears are the result of explosively contracting the muscle while it is stretched (reason why ballistic, or bouncing-type stretches, cause more harm than good).

    I love this bit in the article:
    The time it takes for the proprioceptors (sensors in the muscles that gauge speed and magnitude of a stretch) to return to normal after a static stretch is actually up to an hour, not thirty minutes.

    Like Mitch and Yohan said, all common knowledge. I think it's just a case of some college professor is jealous of the publicity (and fortune) received by the likes of Kurz, and is trying to add his 2.0 like it's a revelation from Christ or something.

    But at least now there is proof mutants do exist:

    [​IMG]
     
  5. Moi

    Moi Warriors live forever x

    I can see neither the use for a penis that big or for having a foot on the end of it. Surely just a foot is enough for anyone?
     
  6. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    LOL :D Shame the voting for funniest post has closed. This would've won it :D
     
  7. PlasmaShock

    PlasmaShock Valued Member

    That article does have some truth in it.

    A stretching and workout routine should go:

    1. Light cardio warm up
    2. Dynamic stretching, kicks, etc.
    3. Main workout
    4. Static stretching
    5. Light cool down
     
  8. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    True. But the article was stating the obvious as a lot of members on this forum already knew what it was telling us.
     
  9. Frodocious

    Frodocious She who MUST be obeyed! Moderator Supporter

    I think it's more likely that some idiot reporter has only just picked up on the research and had to find an academic who would give him a quote to back up his article.

    It happens all the time with science. The press pick up on a journal article that was published x number of years ago, write a story on it as though it was new, cutting edge research (usually misquoting, misrepresenting and/or leaving half the important information out), find an academic to give them a usable quote to back up their article and get their story printed. The public run round for a couple of months shouting about it and then forget everything and go back to they what they used to do anyway!
     

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