Fifty Plus (50+) - Stretching before a ride

I'm curious whether people stretch before a ride, and if so, do they see a clear benefit? I rarely stretch, but sometimes find myself taking it pretty easy the first mile or two and then getting into the groove.

I almost never stretch before a ride, but I always do before a run.

No. I should, but I don't. I live at the bottom of a quarter-mile-long hill that starts at 11% grade and steepens to 16% in the middle. I roll down the drive, pedal lightly for about 50 feet, and then head up the hill in my lowest gear. There's another block or two of 5% grade at the top of the hill, then it flattens out. By time I hit the flat, I'm warmed up.

Don't stretch before aride but after a stop- I will stretch the Legs out before starting again- and on a ride- I will stretch the back a bit.

I try to always do it, because it really helps. I will also stop to stretch again at least twice during a ride. But I have a long-standing problem with muscle stiffness, dating back to my teenage years.

I got into the habit of stretching before any physical activity (biking, golf, handball, running). If I don't, especially with handball, I'm almost guaranteed a painful strain or pull.

Never. It's probably a wise thing to do, especially for 50+ers, but I just never got into the habit of stretching.

You don't have an option "I should, but I don't" so I had to settle for "Rarely or never". Never would be more accurate.

Only when I'm already warmed up. I did some upper back/arm/neck stretches before one of our test rides on the borrowed Roubaix because I wanted to limber up a bit before the first long ride on a road bike in 20+ years.

Getting my leg over the top bar is a stretch. Does that count?

Light stretching before taking off, then stop after 15 mins or so and do just a couple of minutes of good stretches, then hammer away. If you're not stretching, especially after hard rides, you're missing out. Take it from someone who never used to stretch, and now I make it a point to stretch well, the difference is huge. Your muscles won't get as sore, you'll recover quicker, you'll feel better overall.

Before a ride? Never. After a ride? ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS. I find that it helps recovery, and allows me to keep my youthful spin (typically 100-110 rpms).

SP

Stretching to help improve and/or maintain range of motion is a good thing but, apparently, there is no evidence showing that stretching before exercise has any special benefit, such as preventing injury. I do my low back and leg stretching at night, before jumping into bed.

I do stretches and warm-ups before playing ball sports, which I still participate in, but I don't treat a ride as a sport. When heading out on a ride I'll maybe do a few slow and easy kilometres around town, to warm up before heading out for a ride, and I'll do some back, shoulder and neck stretching durung a rest break if I feel that I need to. I usually don't, though.

I never stretch before a ride, but during the ride I might stretch my back and stand and stretch my legs. I did read an article in a cycling mag a little while back which concluded that stretching has little benefit for cyclists.

I almost never stretch before a ride, but I always do before a run.


+1. If I don't stretch before a run I'm really sore next day; riding not so much.

Only when I'm already warmed up.

+1. The physical therapist types tell me that stretching is not the best way to warm-up--rather you get the most benefit by stretching AFTER you've warmed up. It helps my iffy back to stretch at rest stops and after a ride.

Never before. You shouldn't stretch until you are warmed up.

Stretching by Bob Anderson has lots of good quick stretches for bicyclist, convenient at rest stops:

http://www.amazon.com/Stretching-20th-Anniversary-Bob-Anderson/dp/0936070226/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206185684&sr=8-1

Some pretty good research shows that stretching cold muscles doesn't do any good You need to have the muscles warmed up and synovial fluid lubricating the joints prior to stretching. What you need before exercise is a good warm up - starting out your bicycling easily, for example.

I have started stretching daily during my one-hour of swimming. The water is warm, and the muscles are warmed up, and I get in a good stretch after swimming several laps.

So, I can't answer your question, as I don't stretch BEFORE a ride, but DURING a ride or other exercise.

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/flexibility/a/aa022102a.htm

Research on Stretching
New research suggests that stretching doesn't prevent muscle soreness after exercise. Researchers Robert Herbert, Ph.D., and Marcos de Noronha, Ph.D. of the University of Sydney conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 previously published studies of stretching either before or after athletic activity. They concluded that stretching before exercise doesn't prevent post-exercise muscle soreness. They also found little support for the theory that stretching immediately before exercise can prevent either overuse or acute sports injuries.

Warm-up vs. Stretching
Much of this confusion comes from a misinterpretation of research on warm-up. These studies found that warming by itself has no effect on range of motion, but that when the warm-up is followed by stretching there is an increase in range of motion. Many people misinterpreted this finding to mean that stretching before exercise prevents injuries, even though the clinical research suggests otherwise. A better interpretation is that warm-up prevents injury, whereas stretching has no effect on injury.

If injury prevention is the primary objective the evidence suggests that athletes should limit the stretching before exercise and increase the warm-up time.

Studies do support that range of motion can be increased by a single fifteen to thirty second stretch for each muscle group per day. However, some people require a longer duration or more repetitions. Research also supports the idea that the optimal duration and frequency for stretching may vary by muscle group.

The long-term effects of stretching on range of motion show that after six weeks, those who stretch for 30 seconds per muscle each day increased their range of motion much more than those who stretched 15 seconds per muscle each day. No additional increase was seen in the group that stretched for 60 seconds. Another 6 week study conducted found that one hamstring stretch of 30 seconds each day produced the same results as three stretches of 30 seconds.

These studies support the use of thirty second stretches as part of general conditioning to improve range of motion.

Guidelines for Stretching
To get the most from your stretching customize your routine to fit your needs. One way to do this is to stretch until you feel slight pulling but no pain. As you hold the stretch the muscle will relax. As you feel less tension you can increase the stretch again until they feel the same slight pull. Hold this position until you feel no further increase.

If you do not seem to gain any range of motion using the above technique, you may consider holding the stretch longer (up to 60 seconds).

What Stretch is Best?
In general, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) stretching has resulted in greater increases in range of motion compared with static or ballistic stretching, though some results have not been statistically significant.

Static stretches are a bit easier to do and appear to have good results. Studies indicate that continuous stretching without rest may be better than cyclic stretching (applying a stretch, relaxing, and reapplying the stretch), however some research shows no difference.

Most experts believe ballistic, or bouncing during a stretch, is dangerous because the muscle may reflexively contract if restretched quickly following a short relaxation period. Such eccentric contractions are believed to increase the risk of injury.

In addition to improving range of motion, stretching is extremely relaxing and most athletes use stretching exercises to maintain a balance in body mechanics. But one of the biggest benefits of stretching may be something the research can't quantify: it just feels good.

I did read an article in a cycling mag a little while back which concluded that stretching has little benefit for cyclists.

What!?!?!? Don't believe everything you read in the bike rags..................

There was a long piece on this topic in the New York Times a couple of weeks ago. I think the link is still good. The answer seems to be...no one knows:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/13/health/nutrition/13Best.html?scp=2&sq=Kolata+stretching&st=nyt

I do not stretch before cycling or running, but I do warm up by riding slowly or walking, respectively.

With my new knee pain, which I have self-diagnosed as plica syndrome, I reportedly should do more hamstring stretching. I never have been very flexible, in contrast to my wife, who has been studying ballet for more than 40 years.

I never do. To me stretching a "cold" muscle is as bad or worse than not stretching at all. And then, after I'm warmed up, the muscle is much more flexible, so why stretch then? ;)

My approach is to do yoga regularly, like 3 times a week. That maintains the length in my muscles, and prevents them from getting tight between rides. I can't say that it prevents soreness or anything like that, but I believe it has improved my recovery time between rides.

It is helpful for me, when on a long ride, to stretch on the bike while rolling along. Sitting statically really tightens me up, so I'll ride no-hands and stretch shoulders, arms. Rolling the neck is also good-- best with hands back on the bars. Getting up off the saddle and stretching the lower back, quads, calves, and, as much as you can, the hamstrings is also helpful. I find regularly coming off the saddle and going 30 or 50 yards out of the saddle is good for loosening the back, etc.

I always mean to stretch after riding, but usually forget about that on the way to the refridgerator.

I spin for about 15 minutes. When I get back I stretch, sometimes.

Easy spin warmup on the way out, same on the way back. Generally do some toe touching type stretching during the week to keep my back in good shape.

Warm up slowly, ride hard, stretch after!

Rode last weekend with a triathlete. It's easy to spot them, mashing big gears to failure, loving pain, then going for a run. He talked to us about stretching before a run and the fallacy of stretching cold muscles. Lots of weekend warriors stretch before a jog while the muscles are cold. I was told by a karate instructor that cold muscles work like cheese, can tear and damage, once warmed stretch uniformly and evenly. In class, we would do 20-30 minutes of warmup prior to the major stretches.

I have a neck injury which keeps my me tied up and tense. I use my hot tub to warm my core temp prior to back, neck and hamstring stretching. I am still as flexible as a piece of cardboard but I need to keep active so I can ride and work out.

Always..when ya hit 65, every bit of preperation helps:D
Sometimes do the stretches during a long break (hey,we're retirees,the morning rides include a coffee break)
Windmills, calf, thigh, toe touch,torso twist, shoulder shrug