WhyFi

So nothing that would require stretching, even if one believed in stretching.

spelger

I don't think anyone said you have to stretch. Some like to, some don't. I'm in the don't camp.

WhyFi

Koyote

Hmm, let's see...Who has made "blanket statements" in this thread? Oh, yeah, here we are:

Koyote

You beat me to it.

I'm starting to think that wolfchild is a parody account. He's making it too easy.

cyclezen

Quoi?
I did google, and got this:
Along with extreme fatigue, sore throat, fever and swollen glands, "mono" causes spleen enlargement. That can be dangerous for athletes because the impacts and pressure on the abdomen that occur during many sports can cause the spleen to burst.

People also ask

How long is an athlete out with mono?
Is mono common in athletes?
What does mono stand for?
Is it OK to run with mono?

Ride On
Yuri

3alarmer

...my personal experience (which is really anecdotal, and has absolutely no probative value here), is that I did very hard, physical work for a number of years, as a front line guy in the local fire department. And when I ride a bike, run, lift, swim, or whatever for exercise, I do it at an intensity that is just short of stopping and puking. Mostly I have done intervals in my exercise routines, because I find it gives me, personally, the most bang for the buck aerobically. And if I don't stretch, I suffer.

I have suffered a couple of significant injuries, and stretching those areas was part and parcel of a full recovery.

I guess you're correct that if you ride at a low intensity, and spend some time on the couch afterward, you're probably not gonna notice any adverse effects from not stretching. You'll lose some flexibility as you age, but everyone does that to some extent. So you probably won't notice much, even as you begin to tighten up in front and end up with a forward leaning posture, which will be obvious to an observer, but happens so gradually you'll probably miss it. But the OP specifically states she's doing spin classes. I wonder if you have any idea of how the average medium to advanced level spin class is conducted, or why stretching might be a good idea to accompany that routine ? Mostly, I wonder why you insist on popping into threads to offer opinions based on conjecture, that contribute little of nothing to the information requested by the person starting the thread ?

Is this some kind of compulsive behavior ? Do you really not understand how this constant barrage of opinions, based on nothing other than contrarian viewpoints, drags the dialogue here down into the depths of the average comments section in a Fox News online article ? I'm embarrassed for you sometimes, but then I realize you seem incapable of embarrassment. So it's all good, man.

3alarmer

...the next 20 years are gonna be very interesting for you. The only thing "special" about a personal stretching routine is that it is tailored to what you find woks, given your individual physiology and anatomy. There are a few people who are just naturally extremely flexible. I am not one of them. If I don't stretch certain things, I quickly break down. And it's certainly not because I only do one thing for exercise.

ChamoisDavisJr

51, lifelong athlete. Skiing, skateboarding, basketball lots and lots of basketball, running and now cycling. Never stretched before or after a workout, ride, or activity.

I know a number of folks who swear by it and it works great for them,

I might need it as I get older. Just not right now. Average 6 hours a week during winter on the trainer. 10 hours a week riding when the weather is nice. Couple of Crits a year and a road race here or there.

My wife loves Yoga and goes 4 days a week. I’ll probably pick that up in a bit, it does her body good.

raceboy

I used to not worry about it when I was running in my forties and fifties. Now that I’m over 60, things aren’t as bendy as they used to be. Yoga seems to help regain some of the flexibility along with one or two midride five-minute stretch sessions a week. It feels good.

livedarklions

Depending on the type of stretching, that might be remarkably bad advice. Studies have shown that static stretching of a cold muscle diminishes performance and increases chance of injury.

livedarklions

There's really no strong scientific case either for or against stretching, although dancers are probably a special case due to the premium value on flexibility in that profession.

My suspicion, as a person who never stretches because it hurts and makes me feel worse long run, is that people who feel a benefit from stretches should do them and people who don't feel a benefit and/or find them very uncomfortable probably shouldn't do them. We know that our muscle compositions vary greatly genetically, so we shouldn't be surprised that different people have different effects.

livedarklions

Look, I'm 61 and I routinely ride 100+ miles without stretching before, during or after. I hate stretching and I harbor a resentment towards any gym coach or whatever who talked me into or forced me into doing it having since found out that my perception it was, if anything, harming me was correct. But you know what I don't find weird? That other people who have different bodies than mine might find it beneficial when I don't.

Pretty much every one of your "pronouncements" in thread after thread just assumes that you are some sort of model of fitness for everyone to emulate. Friggin' learn some humility--things that work for you may have absolutely no utility for someone else.
Yeah, these stretching threads used to be a complete train wreck as person after person would scold people who didn't stretch about how we were going to injure ourselves, but that's stopped as far as I can tell.

livedarklions

Agreed on the individualization, but I kind of have the opposite perspective on this--I'm like you in that I'm not flexible, but I find stretching does nothing to change that, and not being particularly bendy doesn't really cause me any problems.

Just curious--what do you mean by "break down"? I don't doubt you feel benefits, I'm just unclear on what they are. I promise not to argue with you about whether the benefits are real or not, my assumption is always people are the best experts on their own bodies.

Koyote

I can't answer for 3alarmer ...But, on his point of individual needs: I have a slightly wonky back, mainly from a very nasty car wreck over a decade ago. When I'm being a good boy and doing my core work (which includes stretching), it helps me. More here:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healt...0the%20problem.

tomato coupe

Stretching is kind of like eating vegetables. A lot of people get by without doing it, but there are benefits if you do.

livedarklions

That makes a ton of sense, especially since medicine has otherwise been so bad at controlling back pain without getting you addicted to something.


I was looking at some of the scientific evidence on dynamic stretching, and it seemed to be beneficial but the studies got a bit hung up on whether or not the stretching component added anything to the warm-up (it was clear it did not increase injuries like static stretching can do). Ultimately, who cares? If the package of moving around and stretching works for people, what difference does it make whether or not the stretching is really doing anything? If people feel like it is, that's probably a good enough effect.

70sSanO

I’ve done a lot of sports, but have never stretched “after” an activity.

When I was younger, I didn’t stretch before playing tennis, golf, or basketball much less before a ride. But in my 50’s I started doing pre-activity stretches, probably doing them wrong, but I still wanted to limber up. I found I can’t just walk up to the first tee and grip it and rip it without any stretches or I will pull something.

I’ve also started stretching before my rides, except for the casual around the neighborhood slower casual rides. But it is tough to do a slow warm up, especially uphill, when I go out on rides by myself. I think doing a few miles of easily turning the cranks would be better, but 1/4 mile into a ride I don’t have the patience.

John

tyrion

Stretching prevents way more injuries than it creates. For me, that's the bottom line.

livedarklions

I don't agree with that. From experience, I know i derive no benefit from stretching.

GhostRider62

I have stretched before certain sports but never afterwards. I've high jumped, threw discus, hockey, basketball, football, bike raced, and played golf competitively. I have never stretched before or after cycling. I can ride hard sometimes. If so, I tend to warm up for at least 40 minutes and then cool down for 15-20 minutes. But no stretching. Golf? Always.

livedarklions

I know I am probably the worst culprit of this here, but I think we who don't stretch should probably butt out of this thread so that people who do stretch can actually answer the OP's question about their favorite after-workout stretch routines.

I will now retire from this thread to eat my vegetables.

GhostRider62

Would you rather we tell OP that they are wasting their time stretching after a workout.

You totally and rudely dominate all threads. Just kidding. Going to eat a Ribeye now.

Koyote

If HeyItsSara hasn't been scared off by all of the nonsense, I think the simplest answer might be: stretch whichever muscles are sore after a ride (or the day after a ride, more likely). It needn't be complicated...Just slowly and gently stretch the muscle, hold the position for a few seconds, and repeat a few times.

gpburdell

12oz curls mostly...