LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

Naomi · Joined: 01 Jun 2004 Posts: 374 Location: London

didnt know if this discussion had happened much, but thought it would be good to have another one anyway, as its one of those that you need to think about quite often, or you sort of... well... stop doing it much.

Do people do much stretching after excercise? I actually do 20 - 30 mins after every workout. that meant that I did 3 sessions of stretching y'day, but only about 20 mins after each, because I was feeling lazy. I never used to stretch, but now I do, and im sure that soon in the future (ie, when I once again fall off the training waggon), I wont do it at all.

I do it whilst on the waggon for 3 reasons, and if you're not much of a stretcher, I hope that at least one of these will ring true and motivate you to stretch more:

1) it makes your muscles stronger. by giving them a larger range of movement, each of your... er... fibres/cells/whatever can contract more, thus... er... doing more. (eloquence...)

2) Aids recovery. hey, we all want to train more dont we! lol. but anway, stretching helps to get rid of all the lactic nastiness that has decided to sit in your muscles after training, which makes you feel fatiqued. And I personally *refuse* to run cold water over my legs in order to do that (I tried it after skiing last week, and I hated it), so I stretch. edit: (apparently this point is incorrect, but im leaving it because it makes me stretch, and my osteopath/physio person says to stretch more if muscles feeling fatigued).

3) When you do stuff like weights, or other hard muscle work, your muscles tighten. So it becomes more important to stretch.

Stretching can even be done in bed. this morning I woke up all stiff, so I just kneeled up in bed, until the pain left my quads, then I rolled onto my side & did lots of relaxing lying down in various positions to give my hamstrings & gluteus muscles a bit of a cat-stretching.

dan_b · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 2428

I stretch if I remember, which is often but not always.

WRT your second point, it's not lactate you're trying to get rid of - that has a very short life in the system anyway. The next-day stiffness is DOMS.

See the Library topic on this - although I have to admit my anecdotal evidence is that I feel better the next day if I don't forget to stretch, so it's hard to believe there's no connection.

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4108

Stretching doesn't get rid of DOMS either, in fact it may cause it.

Naomi · Joined: 01 Jun 2004 Posts: 374 Location: London

yes, i corrected the post, however its not the next day stiffness im talking about - i mean when you legs fail to recover - you know that feeling? when your legs get fatigued too easily? Ive always put that down to not enough protein intake personally (absoloutely *nothing* to back that up) but a couple of years ago I was told that I needed to 'stretch it all out', even days later.

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4108

Sorry, that was not aimed at you, more a general comment at stretching vs DOMS being another of those urban legends.

Recovery, I don't think stretching helps much with recovery either. The two big ones for recovery is consuming enough of a carb/protein recovery drink for your body's needs, and of course getting sufficient rest, particularly sleep. With two training sessions a day, it's ideal to get in an afternoon nap between them.

Gav · Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:19 pm Subject:

Would be interested if Martin who did the stretching workshop had any comments on it all. Did anyone who went to the workshop pick up what he said about it?

Sue, my sports massage lady, always emphasises the importance of making sure I stretch, as it keeps the muscles in better condition and makes her job easier Smile

Naomi · Joined: 01 Jun 2004 Posts: 374 Location: London

Gav · Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:56 pm Subject:

like 'better condition' ... ie. they function better, as muscle fibres aren't as clumped up, and don't have as much gunk between them. Makes less of a popping when she works through the muscle. Very non-technical explanation, and to be honest don't know how to explain technically. Look on google?

Tammy · Joined: 24 Jan 2006 Posts: 144 Location: Twickenham

I never used to stretch - and it shows. Lots of skating without stretching can create really short stumpy leg muscles - which then pull the knee and other joints out of alignment.

I'm now under strict instructions to run through 15 mins of leg stretches every day, and especially after skatng.

Naomi · Joined: 01 Jun 2004 Posts: 374 Location: London

mmm the knees especially I think actually. something to do with some tendon at the bottom of your quads rubbing on something if they're too tight. or something.

Gav - thats interesting, I didnt realise that stretching did that! Thats very motivating to keep stretching.

Tom · Joined: 16 Aug 2004 Posts: 482 Location: Holland Park

Gav, where do you get your massages done?

Gav · Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:09 pm Subject:

By a lady named Sue, who's partner Martin ran the stretching workshop that got organised a while ago. Mike and myself got involved with her when she was doing her end of course thesis, and she did it on the effects of sports massage on skaters with a high volume of skating. So she really understands skater's muscles now! Smile

Have pmed you her number.