The value of Static Stretching (?)

[boba]

I know that several canoe/kayak instructors lead students in static stretching exercises. An increasingly large body of science now shows that 1) it does nothing to prevent injuries and 2) actually reduces performance in fields such as running and weight lifting. Here is one brief discussion.

http://greatist.com/fitness/stretching- ... mup-040413" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Shep]

A lot of things have been leaning this way for a while. The challenge is that, instead of stretching, we should be doing active warm-up exercises. I find it difficult to motivate myself or students during a class, to run up and down the parking lot a few times before I jump into the boat. Easier to focus on easy paddling around a pool at the put-in before you take off down the river, but it doesn't help your bottom half much.

Shep

[mgood]

I wouldn't be too quick to say that static stretching does no good. While I do agree that dynamic stretching has been scientifically proven (many, many times) to be more efficient at reducing injuries, there are still some who find comfort in static stretching (swearing that they only feel better after a good static stretch).

Many sports coaches have been slow to realize the difference between the two and implement any kind of dynamic stretches for their teams (see high school football coaches everywhere). One problem is that the term "dynamic stretching" is confusing to many- to some it is merely moving around and getting "warmed up" before resorting back to static stretches, while to most it is a change in the actual stretching technique to incorporate movements into stretches (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkCZym9CT54" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;).

I played club, high school, and college soccer and have had tons of coaches with many different/polarized ideas.I can only speak by my own experience, but it seemed to me that I was more fit and less likely to become injured when coached to do dynamic stretching. That being said, I didn't eliminate static stretching from my life entirely- when one muscle needed a stretch, I isolated it using a static stretching technique.

My wife swears by static stretching and, to be honest,who am I to judge? If it works for her (or for any of you), then great. Science may say that dynamic stretching reduces injuries now, but in 20 years it could be the opposite. The best option: warm up, do 5 dynamic stretches (at least) to engage the overall body and allow for static stretching where tightness exists.

All of this being said...

I have never, in my life, stretched before paddling. Some may prefer to because it helps them, but because paddling incorporates quite a bit of muscles (and doesn't isolate many of them, outside of the shoulders) I don't feel much pressure to (and I'd rather spend that time on the water). I might re-title the topic of this post "Re: The value of stretching pre-paddling (period)?"

[Shep]

To be clear, my understanding of the current science is that static stretching before athletic activity is not productive. on the other hand, stretching AFTER athletic activity is highly encouraged.

From Ron Lugbill, Jon Lugbill's brother and a WW Slalom coach: http://rlugbill.typepad.com/my-blog/201 ... -race.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[anthony]

The army has taken stretching out all together. We now use warm up excersies, then flow righ into high intensity exercise. Stretching is a bad word in the army before any physical activity.

[RomanLA]

Personally, I figure most everything in paddling is about rotation, so I just get in my boat and rotate in both directions and grab onto my stern to stretch. Then I'll do a little back paddling to warmup my shoulders and off I go!

[okieboater]

Instructor led Yoga for an hour, done on what ever weekly schedule that works for you has worked well for me for some time. I do not do "combat" yoga, my instructor calls it "gentle" yoga.

Several doctors and physical therapist told me my yoga and active boating life style is one of the things that kept me alive and now recovering so well from my entire body trauma accident last September.

I have been a big fan of reasonable stretching for many years. Heck call it static or dynamic, I just do not over do whatever stretch to the point it hurts. My opinion not based on any medical studies is the value of stretching, yoga or what ever happens if a person has a weekly routine they do as part of their life style. If you only stretch / warm up when you paddle, there may be some benefit but not as much as a lifestyle routine does.

as Roman posted I might warm up a bit on shore then do some in boat moves to get the paddle muscles woke up. :myday"

[Shep]

If you think about the way Yoga practices generally flow, Sun Salutations are often the first 5-10 minutes. Beyond any spiritual significance, that makes a lot of sense, because Sun Salutations are a moderate warm-up activity before going into more aggressive stretching poses.

I am a big fan of Yoga, and I wish I did it more often. I can do about half of what I can in a boat because, as an angry friend of mine once said, I'm a "bendy bas*****". I would second Micah's comment about this really being about static stretching doesn't help before paddling (and probably dynamic stretching doesn't either...)

Thanks,
Paul

[RomanLA]

Oh I forgot about yoga! I did the "Yoga for Paddlers" video for a while and I could actually tell a huge difference. I was able to do C-to-C rolls, which is not normally the case. I continued to do my favorite moves for quite some time as a warmup for paddling, but it just kinda faded away. I need to start doing that again.

[okieboater]

Paul,

Man you are right on target.

My yoga instructor starts out doing a short total rest period, does the yoga moves as you mentioned. She does a general warm up then does entry poses to get into specific areas. One pose leads to another and by the end I feel a bunch "looser" all over, she finishes up with another total rest period.

Glad to know you are a fan of yoga. I wish more boaters would take advantage of this system. I got into it on recommendations from my long time physical therapist (long time before the accident). I was having a bunch of shoulder issues and spent a ton of money getting help not covered by insurance. After a while he told me that he could help with specific injuries but if I took up yoga it would help me all over and save money as well. He was so right. The professional physical therapists I have been working with from the accident gave me a bunch of exercises to do since I ran out of insurance coverage. The professionals also cleared me for yoga and recommended I go. I restarted two weeks ago. The only reservation was to be careful of the spine moves IE don't mess up that cage on T8 -- T10 as it takes up to a year for every thing to fuse.
Like many, I thought a yoga teacher would be some skinny dude in a turban doing sing song chants. Turns out my instructor is a retired college prof and continues her education on Yoga and keeps up with the latest stuff. BobA, hint hint. With that beard and a turban people would flock to you as a yoga guru thinking you were the real deal. However, that Okie / Arkie speech pattern would give you away unless you did some speech training. Could be a second career for sure!

dave