All about Body Flexibility & Stretching
(Fundamentals)
The Truth about Warming up, Cooling Down, Flexibility & Stretching (don’t be fooled!)
I have just been reading through some more poop and claptrap on a fairly high-ranking website which claims to be written by and endorsed by various ‘Sports Scientists’, ‘Doctors’, and ‘Specialists’. It makes me sick! What a load of misleading junk. Do I sound upset? Well, I am, and here’s why. As a young athlete, I built up my athletics knowledge and experience from the ground up, painstakingly seeking out and reading books written by the sporting legends of that era,
For example:
My Club Coaches and Gym Coaches:
Arthur Dagger (Great Western Runners, Bristol)
Bob (the owner of Bob’s Gym, Avonmouth, Bristol)
Donning my running shoes (of which I had several different types – Reebok, Nike Race Spikes, New Balance, Asics, and Hi-Tec Silver Shadow) and hitting the road in all weathers – rain, wind, sun, snow, and on all terrains.
I joined a multitude of gyms and running clubs, conversing and consulting with a myriad of other people who were striving to improve themselves, their technique, and their performance. I even found myself training alongside WOLF (of television fame on the Gladiators) at his gym in Hayes, Bromley, London. I will never forget the moment I first saw him walk through the door in front of me as I came up for another Incline Sit-up – one could only gasp at the sheer size of his Biceps! And then when I watched him train his Biceps, I felt tiny indeed 🙂
I experimented, and some things worked very well, while others didn’t. And when I ran into trouble (blisters, pain, animals, accidents, severe weather conditions, heat exposure, sweat rashes, heat rashes, muscle cramps, etc.). Guess what I did? I sought a solution by consulting with as many people as possible. Eventually, I found the right solutions and gained a deep understanding of how my body worked and what it responded to best in terms of athletic performance, recovery, and reduced injury.
Sometimes, these days, I come across something online, and if it’s nonsense, I can see it immediately because I know it is simply not true. I may not have a Doctorate or a Sports Science Degree, but I can smell BS when it’s right in my face, and unfortunately, so many aspiring young athletes these days can’t see the same red flags that I can. These young athletes are frequently astounded by the tips and advice I give to them. It doesn’t feel like specialist knowledge to me. Still, when I coach them, I quickly realise there is a gaping void of crucial old-school information not readily available to these otherwise successful athletes.
That’s my Rant over, but I had to get that off my chest. In my experience (learned the hard way, literally, with blood, sweat, and tears), there is only one way to warm up and stretch that suits every type of athlete, particularly Runners and Footballers, because that’s what I know most about. However, some kinds of athletes will want to (and should) add their own exceptional extra flexibility and stretching exercises to the correct way to warm up and Stretch, which I describe below.
“That which yields is not always weak”
There is strength in flexibility
Static Stretching or Dynamic Stretching?
Static Stretching
is when you stretch a muscle to its extreme point and hold it for several seconds. This is the best form of stretching for all athletes (runners, footballers, jumpers, etc.) because Static Stretching improves the Range Of Motion (ROM) and reduces the risk of injury. Static Stretching is the primary type of stretching taught by the Mojoh Method. I also include some Dynamic Stretches where appropriate.
Passive Stretching
It is a waste of time for most fit athletes. It may, however, have benefits for the rehabilitation of individuals with injuries or physical impairments.
Resistance bands are sometimes used for Passive Stretching, but I regret to inform you that all usage of Resistance Bands has been dropped from the Mojoh Method because I consider them to be clunky, risky, and unwieldy. In nearly all cases, a better and more natural solution exists. I suppose I am old-school, and perhaps some people do benefit from using these newfangled appendages, but I can’t see the point. Anyone who believes this claptrap was never involved in serious athletics. One modern technique I do think is worth checking out is Calisthenics.
I think that Kettlebells have their place in modern Gym Technique, but I remain firmly rooted in the Dumbbell camp.
5 Steps to Effective Warm-up & Stretch:
1. BEFORE any serious athletics session, and BEFORE any Stretching, you must warm up sufficiently. It takes longer to warm up in a cold climate. How do you know when you’re adequately warmed up? Touch your forehead with your fingers, and if you feel the cool dampness of sweat, then you are ready.
Warm up slowly and gradually. You could start with fast walking, then progress to jogging, or a combination of walking and jogging. Maybe some cycling or static cycling. Dress appropriately for the weather conditions. Depending on the ambient temperature, it can take anything from 5 to 25 minutes (if it’s ‘brass monkeys’ outside) to be sufficiently warmed up.
2. Do only Static Stretching before your main event – this might be a competitive game, a race, or just a gym training session.
3. Follow the two-Cycle stretch technique (see below)
Active Stretching
It is not worth the time for serious, able-bodied, and fit athletes (my own opinion, based on some moderate research). For the Rehabilitation of patients, it may be beneficial – I’m not sure, so I’d ask the Doctors.
There is so much misleading nonsense out there on the web, and I feel deeply sorry for the youth of today who have all this ‘noise’ to sift through in their search for excellence.
Here is one such example:
“A January 2024 research study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, for example, made headlines by suggesting that stretching can build muscle and strength as much as lifting weights”.
I agree that stretching can help build muscle and strength, but to say it is as effective as lifting weights is ludicrous. What kind of people write this rubbish? Let me take them to the Gym!
PNF Stretching
It is a relatively new concept, and from some quick online research, I have not found any evidence or reason to suggest that this type of stretching is superior to other types. I think that PNF is worse in most cases, but I can see that it has a lot of potential in the area of Injury Recovery, because it involves tensing muscles without moving the joints. Naturally, if the joint movement is restricted or painful, then PNF Stretching is better than no stretching at all.
Dynamic Stretching
This is where the joints are moved to encourage a more powerful and dynamic stretch, and this form of stretching has its place if used correctly and at the correct times. So many people seem to think that Dynamic Stretching must be done before exercise or competition. I disagree entirely! There is indeed only one proper way to warm up and stretch.
4. For most sporting events, 25 minutes should be ample time to accomplish a thorough warm-up & Stretch sequence. You can shorten this or make it longer – it depends on your sport and the time you have available.
5. The only Cool-down (sometimes called warm-down) that you need to do is to walk at a slow or medium pace for several minutes before sitting down and getting showered and dressed. I know that is a controversial statement, but I’m right about this because I’ve been there and done it.
Never Stretch Cold Muscles
Some coaches/specialists appear to be saying that this is sometimes OK?! – No, it’s not! Not ever!
You should always feel warm (and a bit sweaty) before you stretch. Perhaps the only exception to this is when you wake up in the morning and naturally feel the need to stretch – that’s okay, listen to your body.
Two-Cycle Stretch Technique
It surprises me how many people are unaware of this. Please watch the video link at the bottom, as it supports the points I’m making here. After you warm up, refrain from aggressively stretching your muscles immediately. Hold back. Perform all your stretch exercises once, maintaining a maximum stretch of 60%. Maximum 40% if you are in poor physical condition or feeling tired. The first cycle should consist of relatively quick and gentle movements. This will essentially ‘wake up’ the dormant stretchability of each muscle.
Then spend a few minutes jogging around and shaking out any stiffness from arms and legs. Then do the primary stretch cycle again (do it all again), but this time hold each stretch for longer and stretch a little further.
Even if you’re nicely warmed up, do not continue with your Stretching if your muscles are still feeling tight, stiff, or painful from recent workouts. You should skip the stretching and do them a day or two later instead.
Now you are ready for competition, prepared for the whistle or the gun. If you still have some time to spare, now is the perfect opportunity to engage in dynamic stretching, tailored to your specific sport and fitness level. For example, if you are a Runner or Footballer, you could try some Walking Lunges or High Kicks.
Short-term Stretching & Long-term Stretching
You will often see professional footballers pausing mid-game (or at halftime) to do a little stretching. This is fine and makes total sense.
The benefits of flexibility & stretching are immense, but they only last for several minutes (and will start to degrade as the muscles cool down). During competition or a hard training session, it’s essential to keep moving to maintain your body temperature.
The benefits of Long-term Stretching are different (and even more important for serious athletes). Not only do your muscles build strength and mass with regular Training, but with regular stretching, muscles will build many extra stretchy fibres – and in addition to the Short-term pre-competition Stretch, you will achieve total athletic prowess by including a regular flexibility & stretching routine into your overall Training Plan.