Dangerous Stretching in Bodybuilding – Part 1

When I recently went around to my local G .P. for my monthly batch of 100 Viagra, he told me “Athletes are the unhealthiest of all his patients” He said “Most are super hypochondriacs” arid that “Athletes (arid he specifically included body-builders in this group), suffered more injuries and aches arid pains than the average couch potato.”
You may not agree one hundred percent with that, but there is a lot of truth in what the old practitioner said.

John A. Schindler M.D. (in his classic self help book HOW TO LIVE 365 DAYS A YEAR) says something like “Anyone can find aches and pains somewhere on their bodies if they sit down arid think about it long enough”. Schindler discovered those with positive emotions suffered less from self inflicted emotionally induced illness, and that busy people complained far less about aches and pains or even tiredness. One guy said “I am too busy to get tired”.

Bodybuilders EXPECT to get aches as ‘proof’ they are training hard & intense enough to encourage muscle growth via the usual process of creating a demand for more muscle with exercise, followed by the two other essentials for growth of muscular tissue, i.e. nutrition and REST; all basic stuff.

Also basic to bodybuilding is the established fact it helps to ‘warm up’ muscles prior to more exertion. This sensible practice is usually followed by doing several LIGHT sets, going through the range of an exercise prior to adding poundage. The usual ‘pyramid system of progress, i.e. add resistance (poundage) and gradually lower repetitions, usually forcing out the last few reps in the final set, again the best and proven way for progress. Lurking beneath the surface however is the often risky area of pre-work out STRETCHES as part of the warm up process. Practices to prevent injury, in fact it is more often than not the time when injuries are MOST likely to occur.

Runners arid jumpers pull hamstrings and damage knees mainly when using the WRONG ‘warm up ‘ stretches, rather than when they actually run or jump. Bodybuilders are more likely to suffer low back pain through dainty fairy toe touching than they are from heavy dead lifts. It’s weird and wonderful, but it is better to ‘warm up’ the actual lifting movement in your minds eye i.e. visually imagine doing the lift prior to the attempt.

Many stretch rituals are actually DANGEROUS. These ill advised moves have been passed down from book to book, magazine article to magazine article, instructor to instructor, without any real thought given to the problems they can cause. Many one to one trainers or coaches may by luck be of the genetic body structure that can SURVIVE such dangerous stretches. But most of us are not so genetically fortunate. One mans’ meat or exercise is another mans poison or hazard. Thankfully people do question the value of ancient practices. If your personal coach or trainer, book or article advises you to do any of the following, then DUMP them or the instructions. I learnt the hard way. Save yourselves a lot of pain, and take note of the following suggestions and revelations.

THESE STRETCHES ARE DANGEROUS
Stretching should be natural, gentle and beneficial Do not aim for the flexibility of a contortionist. Strengthening muscles around the joints naturally increases flexibility. If you do attempt to bend a joint beyond your ability to control it via muscle strength, then you seriously risk tearing the tendons, ligaments and muscles that normally support the joint

Stretching exercises should be done slowly and smoothly. FAST violent or bouncy movements should be avoided at all costs Muscles should be coaxed, not forced into greater ranges of movement. A torn muscle will scar as it heals, thereby shortening it. Therefore one has to try to make the surrounding muscles suppler to compensate. Stretching exercises should never cause you pain. If it does, then cease doing it immediately

Muscles are in fact protected by a mechanism termed the STRETCH REFLEX. So that any time you over stretch the muscle fibers too far, i.e.; by overstretching or bouncing, a reflex nerve action sends a signal to the muscles to contract to prevent you being injured. Thus when you stretch too far, you tighten up the very same muscles you are trying to stretch.

Doctors see the results daily, of people with painful backs or strained Achilles tendons and pulled calf muscles or severe knee injuries due to people, (often females from so called aerobic classes or yoga lessons) doing movements for which their pelvic structure is simply not made Some exercises put enormous stress on the lower part of the spine (see later) Again we repeat SOME stretching exercises are DANGEROUS.

Train hard and be strong,
Mick Hart.

“For anyone considering steroid use” This is a MUST READ…
Layman’s Guides to Steroids I and II

WARNING: Do not read this unless you are ready to gain some serious lean muscle…
Layman’s Guides to Steroids III (new)  

Tagged as: 365 Days, Body Builders, bodybuilders, bodybuilding, Couch Potato, Emotions, Exertion, Hamstrings, John A Schindler, Knees, Muscle Growth, muscles, Muscular Tissue, Pyramid System, Repetitions, Runners, Self Help Book, Stretches, Tiredness, Viagra