To stretch after a workout

[Matteo.Za]

Hi!
I usually stretched right after the workout, especially the muscles I involved in the training. I never had a doubt in doing that, but at least three people in the last week told me it's not productive to stretch the muscle after the workout, because the fibers are contracted and doing so you vanish what you did.
What do you say? Total bs or should I stretch on days-off?

thank you all

[James Janssen]

if anything a workout only helps with the post-workout stretching since your body has more blood pumping and your muscles are 'warm'.
I did read that pre-workout passive (static) stretching might impair strength, so that's not advised. 

you'll find there is lots of myths out there. I am sure they also looked at you weird when you told them you do Gymnastic Strength Training™, let's just say I relate 

[Connor Davies]

You should definitely stretch after your workouts.  It helps align muscle fibers, and you're already all warmed up.

[Matteo.Za]

if anything a workout only helps with the post-workout stretching since your body has more blood pumping and your muscles are 'warm'.

I did read that pre-workout passive (static) stretching might impair strength, so that's not advised. 

you'll find there is lots of myths out there, I am sure they also looked at you weird when you told them you do Gymnastic Strength Training™. They sure do when I say so 

Ahahah, the weird look/answer is a constant:

-So, how do you train?

-Bodyweight at home.

-Oh, bodyweight...

-Gymnastic training.

-Oh, so bodyweight squats, pushups and stuffs!

-Well, there are some quite harder exercises like this, this and this.

-Oooh, so it is artistic gymnastic!

They tend to underline that adjective with that tone that any of you, I believe, have experienced.

 

Anyway: yes, I also read that pre-wo stretches are negative and always thought that the wo could be considered a warm-up for the session.

Lately I had to stretch on days off because of time distribution in my day.

[Luka Kopusar]

i always stretch after workout, like all said, your muscles are warm and it is a lot easier. Also the side benefits (for me) are also that you calm yourself down and not just rush home or quickly do something else. so physical and mental cooldown while doing stretching.

[Alessandro Mainente]

The only thing you have to do before is doing some cardio so that the acid balance (due to some "muscles burn") can be restored . the keypoint is that acid substances are an obstacles for the fibers elongation. so first carry out those then approach the stretch, this is recommended if you done "muscle to failure" work, but you know that for the gymnastic is more "technique to failure".

[Kate Abernethy]

An alternative is to stretch all the time! Fit it in and they all add up.

I think of those gymnasts training 20 - 25 hrs a week, so do what I can when I can. The opportunities will present themselves. At the risk of appearing a fruitcake - the last few days I have been shovelling and wheel-barrowing earth, so I pull the wheel-barrow with a straight-armed RTO grip :-)

[DiTi]

its not about muscle its all about muscle memory 

[Jon Douglas]

An alternative is to stretch all the time! Fit it in and they all add up.

I think of those gymnasts training 20 - 25 hrs a week, so do what I can when I can. The opportunities will present themselves. At the risk of appearing a fruitcake - the last few days I have been shovelling and wheel-barrowing earth, so I pull the wheel-barrow with a straight-armed RTO grip :-)

I have been known to hold the steering wheel with a false grip and straight arms

[James Janssen]

I have been known to hold the steering wheel with a false grip and straight arms

Don't forget to lock out your knees and push hard while you're at it  

[Jon Douglas]

Don't forget to lock out your knees and push hard while you're at it

I see NO POSSIBLE WAY this could end badly.

[Mikael Kristiansen]

There are some misconceptions in here. Stretching after a workout will not make your strength or hypertrophy gains disappear. From my understanding, if you have trained enough to cause a significant compensation, that is biological and will happen wether you stretch or not.

 

Stretching pre workout is depending a lot on what you are doing. If you are maxing your squats, it might not be a good idea to have long static stretches on the primary muscle groups, but if you are doing handstands for example, it is a definitive must. Even though im a decent level handbalancer, I need to stretch my legs, midsection and shoulders well before practice if I want a good session. Same goes for a lot of bodyweight or stuff related to movement. If you are going to move your body in space its better to have a greater ROM.

 

When it comes to muscle/muscle memory, it is about both. There is no getting around that the thickness of a muscle contributes to its contractile force. The nervous system is of great importance, and strength is very specific, but still muscle hypertrophy occurs more with heavy training for a reason.