Forums >Health and Nutrition>Don't Stretch Your Springs
This article says if you stretch, you could be reducing your running efficiency, because our running muscles/connective tissues have a spring-like quality that is made less springy when loose like gumby.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/they-say-runners-need-flexibility-but-you-may-be-surprised-at-the-latest-thinking/2017/02/24/10954520-f9f4-11e6-9845-576c69081518_story.html?utm_term=.63f462de8891
Excerpt:
As Magness explains it, our muscles and tendons are designed like springs. As our feet hit the ground during a run, those springs release stored energy and propel us forward. If the springs aren’t tight enough, they can’t do their jobs properly.
Some research has touched on this in the past, but the idea that tightness can help runners is getting a new look in this era of yoga popularity. A 2010 study of eight distance runners looked at their overall running economy relative to flexibility.
The participants performed the classic “sit and reach” test before running, and their oxygen uptake was assessed. “We saw that those who were most flexible were the least efficient,” says Tamra Llewellyn, an assistant professor of health and human performance at Nebraska Wesleyan University and a co-author of the study. “Those with lower flexibility had greater elastic energy storage in their muscles and didn’t use as much oxygen.” In other words, their muscles could do more with less, allowing them to get more out of each stride at a lower level of exertion.
Yet the perception persists that more flexibility — even as much as that of a yogi — is better for runners. “It’s a myth we’ll probably fight forever,” Magness says. “We’re all taught from a young age to stretch to improve flexibility and performance.”
Running coach Jason Fitzgerald of Strength Running, a Denver-based coaching service, says he sees this notion everywhere: “People get the idea that runners need the flexibility of gymnasts, and it’s just not true. You do need the right amount of flexibility to go through the range of motion for your sport. But you don’t need advanced yoga moves to get it.” As Fitzgerald explains, running requires only a limited range of motion, all in one plane. Stretching and yoga aim to increase that end range, which is more than necessary for running.
Spent a little time trying to look through the studies. Unfortunately the full studies are rather hard to access so it was just mostly the abstracts and other peoples interpretations that I found. The one thing that I noticed was they used mostly younger, very fit runners for their test subjects. I'm wondering how it would change if they used older runners, especially those in their mid 40s and up.
I'm thinking that they would find that as you get older you need to stretch more. Both to avoid injury and to keep up stride length.
I think there is a lot of truth behind what Magness is saying. I can also tell you that there are plenty of studies that show static stretching does reduced the speed and power of muscle contractions for up to two hours. However, I would definitely still recommend stretching after a run. No, of course you don't need to be a yogi or a gymnast, but rational thought and experience show that it's a good idea. The rational thought is this: muscles get tight after strenuous activity. If they are not stretched or massaged they will stay tight and cause pain or lead to imbalances or injury. I'm not sure if there are a lot of studies to back that up, but realistically, this would be a very difficult thing to study. As an athlete, coach and personal trainer, I have found this to be very true. I'm sure you could ask any orthopedic doctor, physical therapist, or athletic trainer and most would agree.
I buy what Magness is saying. I've never been a believer in stretching, although when I get injured I immediately start stretching! It's never solved anything, though.
Out there running since dinosaurs roamed the earth
Yeah, I do agree with you.