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does stretching help before running?
yes
66%
 66%  [ 2 ]
no
33%
 33%  [ 1 ]
what's stretching?
0%
 0%  [ 0 ]
Total Votes : 3

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mock_runner
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 12:58 pm    Post subject: stretching Reply with quote

I was reading somewhere that these scientists did research and found that stretching does not do much to help you before you run but that most of the benefit of it comes only after you have run. Discuss amongst yourselves.
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Dan
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 1:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's pretty commonly accepted. Stretching cold muscles basically just strains them, so the idea is to get blood flowing and warm them up first.

Dan
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mock_runner
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2003 12:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

why is it so much apart of the running culture then? Are coaches just that stubborn?
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2003 1:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Depends on what coach and running culture you're affiliated with... There are good coaches and bad coaches, and most of the ones I know are fully aware that stretching before warming up is not beneficial.

Dan
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 12, 2003 12:04 pm    Post subject: well... Reply with quote

If you warm up for a mile or so and then stretch you will feel better while doing your workout
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 4:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

____I agree with what everybody has stated. Thumbs Up
____The value of stretching should not be underestimated. Wink

____People tend to do their best between 4 PM and 7 PM. It would seem to me that two reasons for that are: person's body is stretched just by daily activities, and the person's body is not yet getting ready to sleep.
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Dan
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 8:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I believe the heart also functions stronger as the day progresses, although I might be remembering that wrong.

Dan
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 8:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I personally find I have better runs in the mornings anyway... Perhaps has something to do with the fact that the only meal that I don't gorge myself on is breakfast... Smile

On stretching, I don't stretch on any regular basis. My stretching program is this: If it is hurt/sore, stretch it. Otherwise, forget it.

My reasons: Stretching has never made me feel any better. I also have this crazy theory that too much stretching will result in excess flexibility, thereby causing a loss of elastic energy return in my stride. If I can kick up past my head, then obviously on my hardest stride I am not going to the edge of my flexibility, and so all the effort on bringing my leg back through my stride will have to be borne by my muscles. If my flexibility is limited to my longest effective stride or maybe a bit longer, then there will be an elastic energy return to get that leg moving again, sparing my muscles a bit of work. One bit of work * 5,000 strides = large energy savings.

Don't worry if you don't agree, because this is just my personal rationalization for not stretching, a truly boring and useless activity in my opinion.
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Dan
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 8:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That theory holds true for sprinting, but highly unlikely it would have any effect on distance running, unless of course you're a contortionist. Neutral

Dan
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 10:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I of course tend to disagree, as I am looking at running the 1500m in track, and when running at top speed for that distance, I most definitely do feel an elastic return from the long powerful strides I have to take to achieve that speed. Of course, your own mileage may vary.
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Dan
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 10:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
running the 1500m in track, and when running at top speed

That is of course an oxymoron, as 1500m and top speed do not belong in the same sentence. Wink

Seriously though, you were talking about 5k/8k/10k's (based on the # of strides comment) in your previous post, not 1500's. You can't change the situation that dramatically and expect the same explanations to hold true...

Dan
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 1:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dan, a friendly reminder that you shouldn't cut relevant information from a post and then quote out of context... as you can see here I was saying the top speed "for that distance". In that case 1500m and top speed do belong in the same sentence.

Anonymous wrote:
running the 1500m in track, and when running at top speed for that distance.


Another thing to point out about your comment, if you are aspiring to be the best at what you do, or even to be considered very good, running a 1500 meters in 4:00 may well be at someone's top speed.

In regard to me talking about 5k/8k/10k, I never really calculated the number of strides when I made the original argument, it was simply a guess out of the blue. But for this example, lets say I am talking about those distances. In my experience, racing longer still includes some "top speed" running (top speed meaning the fastest you can run at that particular time), often at the end of the race, when your muscles have the least amount of energy left to expend. In that case, wouldn't you agree that having a little elastic return would be very useful?

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Dan
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I saw "for that distance" and knew you would object to my leaving it out ... but I also felt it in no way changed what I was saying. For that distance or any other distance, it simply is not top speed. Top sustained speed maybe, but that's a completely different thing and muscle elasticity (in the sense of what's being discussed) probably does not enter into the equation.

Quote:
running a 1500 meters in 4:00 may well be at someone's top speed.

I could not disagree more. That's physically impossible, unless you've found some way to bypass the body's energy systems...

Quote:
In my experience, racing longer still includes some "top speed" running (top speed meaning the fastest you can run at that particular time), often at the end of the race

I would probably agree with that classification, but I still think it's a separate matter. It's the fastest you can get your legs moving at that point (for a variety of obvious and not so obvious reasons), not the fastest your muscles are capable of moving. In other words, they aren't operating at max velocity, so we still haven't really left the distance spectrum as far as the strain vs. elasticity discussion goes.

At that late point of a race, you're fighting the tendency for your muscles to tighten up, so the extra flexibility is bound to be more beneficial than any loss of elasticity would be detrimental.

Dan
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2003 8:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dan wrote:
Top sustained speed maybe, but that's a completely different thing and muscle elasticity (in the sense of what's being discussed) probably does not enter into the equation.


I rest my case on pointing out once again that this is just my excuse for not stretching... and that neither Dan nor I have any real evidence either way.

It was fun having a little debate though. Smile
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Dan
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2003 8:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fair enough. As long as you're aware that is just that -- an excuse -- and probably does not have you performing at your best level.

Dan
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