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Stretching and warming up (Read 5380 times)

Bubba

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Stretching and warming up
April 29, 2003, 12:48:38 pm
I see lots of people stretching as part of their warmup routine, both at the gym and at the crag, and I usually do a bit of gentle stretching before starting my workout.

Some would say that this is a bad idea, and the stretching should only be done after you've warmed up as it can damage cold muscles and tendons.

What is the definitive answer here? Stretch a bit as you warm up, but don't go mad, or leave it until completetely warm, or just do it at warm-down time?

dave

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#1 Stretching and warming up
April 29, 2003, 12:57:45 pm
It seems when i go out bouldering i'm probably one of the only people i know who does any stretching or indeed any warming up at all. I generally make sure I'm warm (the walk-in usually does this), then some general gentle stretching, legs arms back etc. The some easy climbing, shit i've done before etc etc, then maybe a couple longer stretches then gradually inot the hard climbing. Seems to work for me, and i deffo feel like i'm climbing worse if i don't/can't do it for whatever reason.

In contrast, big steve usually does a couple of pullps on crimps in his trainers then jumps straight on the Press.

fatboySlimfast

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#2 Stretching and warming up
May 02, 2003, 10:28:10 am
according to a reasearch paper stretching before activity does fuk all for your performance??????Wat does work is a percentage of the work load u expect your body to do in that session...the research suggested that warming up psychological rather than physiological!
Top, so jump in with the one armers

Bubba

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#3 Stretching and warming up
May 02, 2003, 10:31:39 am
Have you got a link to that research anywhere?

Scouse D

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#4 Stretching and warming up
May 02, 2003, 11:23:13 am
Since I've started climbing with Dave I've gradually started taking more time to stretch before climbing, because I always found myself having to wait for him to finish his dance routine before I had a spotter. To be honest though it really does make a difference. I've noticed it mainly in my legs where high steps etc feel sooo much easier. Don't know if it's preventing injury though cos i'm just as hurt as i usually am. The reason Steve warms up as he does is his shocking lack of stamina- warm up problems will trash him for the main event!

dave

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#5 Stretching and warming up
May 02, 2003, 11:38:08 am
Do you stretch your fingers off though Dave? I find this one quite important, more so than the leg stretches etc. If i jumped on the sort of shit steve does unstretched i feel as if my tendons would do a Norton immediatley.

Scouse D

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#6 Stretching and warming up
May 02, 2003, 11:46:36 am
It does often slip my mind to stretch my fingers although with my recent spate of tendonitis I've started to take a little more care. My fingers are usually ok- the only times I've ever hurt my fingers is bouldering after a night on the pissdue to dehydration.Unfortunately I drink quite often and the best hangover cure is bouldering...

dave

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#7 Stretching and warming up
May 02, 2003, 11:54:19 am
I wouldn't be surprised if dehydration is the cause/catalyst for a lot of climbing injuries actually - i think its surprising how much it can effect you. Might explain my frequent piss poor performance at the very end of long warm days when i inteligently decided to only bring 3/4ltr of water to the crag.

vivahate

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#8 Stretching and warming up
October 03, 2003, 10:57:44 am
Quote from: "fatboySlimfast"
according to a reasearch paper stretching before activity does fuk all for your performance??????Wat does work is a percentage of the work load u expect your body to do in that session...the research suggested that warming up psychological rather than physiological!
Top, so jump in with the one armers


they might not help your performance on that day, but im sure warming up will help stop long-term tendon/muscular injury.

Jim

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#9 Stretching and warming up
October 03, 2003, 08:48:25 pm
I find warming up increases the length of time you can boulder for.
If I don't warm up I can pull very hard at the start of a session but it doesn't last very long and I am quickly knackered
I always do a little stretching before I get on anything - it seems to energize the body a bit

T.H.

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#10 Stretching and warming up
October 04, 2003, 07:42:47 pm
Warming up is absobloodylutely essential for a good performance and avoiding injury.

Warming up means your muscles will have the much needed thing to work effectively i.e. blood (and all the lovely things in it that make your muscles work).  Without warming up you can often get something called a 'flash pump' which is much harder to clear than normal 'pump'.

More importantly though, in the long run, is that your muscles and all the related body parts, become much more supple and stretchy (think plasticine), meaning you're much less likely to rip them to shreds when you start cranking hard.

Current evidence suggests that stretching before exercise doesn't significantly improve performance.  But I think it's still worth doing because stretching a muscle causes dilation of it's capillaries and therefore a lovely rush of that lovely blood.  Stretching your forearms out between attempts is probably the best way to clear pump.  My particular favourite way to do this is to do handstands, not only do you stretch your finger flexors to f*ck, gravity also gives a helping hand.

One of you mentioned dehydration too, don't even get me started, just take water to the crag!

 

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