Question about Stretching and Frequency.

[forrestang]

Quick question:

When developing your flexibility, is it a good idea to stretch when you're already a bit sore?

Like if I were doing dynamic stretching on Monday, to the point of being sore on Tuesday, would it be prudent to take a day off from doing it to allow for recovery?

Do we use the same logic as building muscles for developing flexibility?

[PacificFlows]

this is complicated. there are more than a couple ideas of how stretching "should" be done. personally, i would say stretch every day, all day. keep in mind you are NOT trying to tear ligaments, only trying to redefine their "safe" range of motion. i have read that any lack of flexibility is simply due to your brain telling your ligaments they're in an unsafe position. you're trying to redefine "safe" positioning. consistency in both frequency and intensity are key.

[zaxonortesus]

It really depends on how you are doing your dynamic vs static stretching. If you are sore, it is usually a good idea to scale back on dynamic stretching a bit and use static stretching to break up the lactic acid in your sore muscles. But you still want to be stretching every day.

Static stretching shouldn't be done on rested muscles, dynamic stretching can get the blood flowing to the muscle to warm up and stretch it out at the same time. On training days I will usually stretch 4 times a day, dynamicaly when I first wake up, and a solid 15 min dynamic stretch routine prior to rolling/fighting, this helps me to get the blood to the muscles prior to working out, maximizing my workouts and it REALLY helps to reduce strains and DOMS, then a 15 min static stretch routine after, then a quick static stretch before bed. On non-training days, It's usually in the morning and before bead, and I find myself pulling on my arms and legs throughout the day... the one thing Eddie Bravo and I have in common, lol.

As a quick note to why I do what I do, I am currently going through my group-x certification and took a really great course taught by super high certified ACSM instructors on stretching, one of which was the lead trainer where I train... so maybe I am a bit brainwashed by her and the ACSM ideas... but they are pretty highly regarded... so Im cool with it.

[PacificFlows]

oh yeah, google yourself pavel's "relax into stretch"

you'll find it as a pdf. there's a ton of great theory and techniques in there. lots of fluff, though. but what to take from it is good stuff.