[Bubba]

A good resource here

Anyone know any others?

[squeek]

Good article, I've been saying I need to get more flexible, to prevent injuries if nothing else, but of course to try and get better as well.  :D

Do you guys do a lot of stretching before/after climbing?

[dave]

i have to stretch a fair bit to do anything really!

[dave k]

I don`t have the patience to warm up and cool down for the recommended 20 mins each. Although I am prone to back injuries and my hamstrings are way too tight.

[fatneck]

I try to spend at least half an hour warming up (less if there's a bit of a walk in) before I start, but don't usually warm down. I've found that a nightly ten to fifteen minute stretch has done wonders for my flexibility i.e I can now touch my toes (which I haven't been able to do since I was about 10!) and I haven't been injured in ages. which can only be a good thing! :D Am considering Yoga as an aid to increasing this, as I've heard good reports from some seriously strong guys round our way. Anyone else heard this?

[USSuburbClimber]

:?:   Does the twenty minute cool down really do all that much for your muscles?  I mean, I know that the stretching and warming up before you do an activity is crucial for optimal muscle contraction, power, and endurance.  But once those suckers get pooped out, is it really necessary to stretch them out some more?

I'm sure it couldn't hurt but why waste time doing something so tedious?

[Bubba]

Am considering Yoga as an aid to increasing this, as I've heard good reports from some seriously strong guys round our way. Anyone else heard this?

Fatneck, Yoga is meant to be great for flexibility, and things like Pilates are supposed to be good for core strength and body tension.
You can even do a hybrid called Yogalates these days but that's perhaps some fitness club invention.

[Bubba]

:?:   Does the twenty minute cool down really do all that much for your muscles?  I mean, I know that the stretching and warming up before you do an activity is crucial for optimal muscle contraction, power, and endurance.  But once those suckers get pooped out, is it really necessary to stretch them out some more?

Some studies seem to say it's crucial for faster muscle recovery and others seem to say it's overratted.

With regards to stretching before exercise. I'm becoming less and less convinced of the benefits of this. Personally I think it's much better to start with light exercise to warm up, *then* do some stretching. I find cold stretching just hurts.

I rarely formally warm down with stretching for 20 mins but I find that if I do do at least some stretching in the hours after intense exercise, it certainly helps prevent stiffness the following day. Probably the best thing to do is keep a note of how you feel when stretching and not stretching after training and see what works for you.

[a dense loner]

i have to take a while to warm up, say 20 mns. i don't think warmin down does anythin for u at all. i don't get injured. tho i got codfinger 4a few wks from not warmin up enuf in font, n my plans for forest domination failed. i very rarely stretch, but here's why... if i stretch for x amount of wks i find i can increase my flexibility for stretchin. in other words when i am warm from stretchin i can stretch further. i am not more flexible in climbin only in my stretchin workout. damn  :cry:

[dobbin]

I'll run through a routine of stretches and exercises with my now legendary Gay scarf (pink theraband) both before AND after climbing or exercise. Unless I'm at the tor where I try to pick the problem with the most potential to hurt myself on and try that to warm up.

[squeek]

Since stretching after climbing I always feel a lot better the day
after, which is good because I now pretty much climb 4 days on
the trot during the week and it's made a big difference.  Especially
if the weather's been bad so I've been for an inside session.