Question About Stretching

**ren_07** · 03-03-2010 12:47 PM

I have been attempting to get my splits for about a month now, I wasn't very flexible to start out with.

I am very close and could probably have them if it weren't for me waking up so stiff and sore from the previous days stretches. I feel the pain may be inhibiting my abilities to stretch farther because I first have to stretch out the tightness from the previous day. Of course, I'm no expert so it may be healthy to feel this way and may only prove I am giving myself a proper workout. Nothing is torn or pulled.

My question is, is it wise to wait a day or so to do any type of stretch? Or should I continue to stretch the soreness out, even though I don't see any improvement in my flexibility because of it.

**ambpure** · 03-15-2010 06:36 AM

You can stretch every day if you want.

The only thing is that you need to make sure that you stretch evenly over your entire body.

For example, you can stretch your quads, but if you don't stretch your hamstrings, you're only creating an imbalance in tension over time... which in turn can lead to other sorts of pain.

It's for the same reason that people who train their abdominal muscles very heavily, but don't do anything in terms of training their back, create a tension imbalance like that as well, and get pain in their lower back because of it.

So it doesn't really matter how often you stretch, and you can do it ever single day if you want to. Just make sure you balance everything out... and see if you have an imbalance to begin with.

Hope that helped...

**Rainbow Rider** · 03-15-2010 08:46 AM

Please make sure that you are warmed up (few minutes of some sort of cardio, activity) prior to stretching, to prevent muscle injury.

Make sure that you are practicing STATIC (non-moving, or non-bouncing) STRETCHES only. Static Stretches are the type that you hold immobile. You want to avoid Ballistic Stretches (bouncing, jerking, moving) at all costs. Momentum and force is used to take the body beyond it's normal range of motion. This type of stretch can cause severe injury to muscles, nerves, and can rip muscle off of bone.

*edit*

**shairawilliams** · 03-18-2010 03:31 AM

Yeah it is better to warm up first before you do your stretching routine this way your body will be preconditioned of what will be the next activity.

Just like any sports, warming up is needed to avoid injury.

So be sure that you are warmed up before stretching.