Is Stretching A Bad Thing?

Stretching can be a confusing thing. Most of us who started running 10-15 years ago were told to stretch. There wasn't much distinction between what type of stretch (though it was usually a static stretch). The 'when to stretch' had some variation. Some believed it was better to do it before a warm-up. Some believed you only needed to do it after your run. Also, there were those who believe stretching before or after your workout isn't needed. 

Fast-forward to today. There still are many people who still have the same thoughts about stretching as runners 10-15 years ago. This begs the question - is stretching a bad thing?

*Side-note: What I'm going to say is my opinion. It may not agree with your thoughts on stretching. This is what I've learned over the years and I know it works for me.*

Stretching isn't all that bad. It all depends on what type of stretching and when you should do it.

There are two main types of stretching - dynamic and static. Dynamic stretching is stretching with movement. This doesn't mean touch your toes and bounce. Leg kicks, hip circles, walking lunges and leg swings are all types of dynamic stretches. Static stretches are almost the opposite. These are the more traditional type of stretches that were drilled into everybody's minds years ago. These are the touch your toes and hold for a specific amount of time stretches.

Dynamic stretching is great to do before you start your warm-up. The goal is to help get things loosened up a bit and ready for your warm-up. Usually a couple minutes is all you need. A good way to incorporate this into your regular routine - start dynamic stretches from your car to the starting point of your run, or start them from the locker room on the way to the treadmill.

Static stretches are great for when the run is over and after your cool down. This will help keep things loosened up and not tighten up later on for you. Some good stretches to hit are ones to focus on the hamstrings, abductors, IT band, and quads. There are many ways to stretch those areas. I like to change the type of stretch up every few days. It helps keep things from getting boring.

Stretching does take time to get used to doing. Just like anything else, it will get easier to do and easier to remember to do the more you do it. You have to keep reminding yourself that a few minutes of stretching can help avoid injuries and help keep things loose around those injured areas.

Punching The Clock And Going To Work

I'm starting to figure my body out. I notice I walk slower than most people. I don't try to walk slow either. My body just goes at a comfortable pace. Today, my legs felt a bit sluggish when walking around at work today. I was wondering how my workout would go today at the gym.

WARM-UP

I took the long route to the treadmill today. Because my legs were a bit sluggish, I made sure to do a few more dynamic stretches in an attempt to wake my muscles up a bit. I got things going at the 1.0 incline and found a comfortable speed and went with it.

After I was done with the warm-up, I had to shake my head. I was able to kick out a warm-up mile within the usual time. Yep. My body seems to know when to it should kick in to gear.

MAIN WORKOUT

For the meat-n-potatoes of my workout, I was still targeting 3 miles. I wasn't sure at what pace I'd be able to do (especially since I wasn't expecting the warm-up to go the way it did). I got the incline back to 1.0 and went at it. I kept a consistent pace for most of the run. I think the last mile is where I kicked it up a bit. Nothing too crazy. I figured if my body wants to eat these miles up, I'm going to let it.

Not too shabby for a 3 mile run! I'm starting to see the benefits of running consistently for as many weeks as I have been. I'm on week 12 now of this training cycle. Seeing the benefits like this definitely help keep me going.

COOL DOWN

After getting some water to help cool things down, I got back on the treadmill for my cool down. The start of the cool down felt more sluggish than the end of it. Go figure. I'm not complaining. My body was able to get things back under control with my breathing and I was still able to keep good form throughout the cool down.

Consistent cool down time! Heh. I love consistent times when I'm not focusing on time and speed. The body knows.

STRETCHING

I took my time with each stretch today. Because my legs were feeling sluggish earlier in the day, I threw a few more stretches in to help keep things loose. My balance from the transition to and from each stretch was really good. I only had a few stretches where I had to catch myself and start the stretch over again.

WEIGHTS

I'm glad today was arms and upper body day for weights. Gives my legs some rest. Because the free weight area was a bit packed, I stuck with using the machines today. That's not a bad thing. It's good to switch things up. I hit one machine for the major muscle groups. I'm glad I stick to that too. Helps get me in and out of the gym quicker.

LAST MILE POWER SONG

Today's LMPS was Back In The Saddle by Aerosmith. Aerosmith has a bunch of good workout songs. This one I thought was good for the last mile; 'back in the saddle again'. It sums up how I'm feeling about where I'm at with running right now. I'm having fun with it and able to see improvements from the hard work too.

Keeping Up With The Running

Today was one of those days where I was counting down the hours after lunch until it was time to leave. It wasn't because it was a bad day at work. I was chomping at the bit to get to the gym. Knowing the end of the year is almost here has me excited. I'm pushing towards the most consecutive weeks of working out, probably since high school.

WARM-UP

I tried incorporating a different approach to my warm-up. I decided to focus on my form and control my breathing. It's something I like to do every now and then to help remind my body of how it's supposed to run. Anybody can run, but it takes practice to keep your body in control while you do it.

The warm-up felt really good. The now typical sweat-fest was starting. I can't wait for spring when I'm able to start running outside again. A breeze of any kind would be welcomed on the treadmill.

MAIN WORKOUT

The goal of today's main workout was to run 3 miles, but have negative splits. No real time goal. I wanted to switch things up and make the run interesting. I didn't keep track of the speed I had set. I know each mile I increased the speed by a couple settings. The entire run was done with the 1.0 incline set. I think having at least a 1.0 incline will always be a staple of every run.

The run felt good. I know it was one of the fastest 3 mile runs I have done in awhile. At this point I felt like I walked through a sprinkler. I really need to find a way to keep sweat out of my eyes. I have worn a hat during my runs, but the hat traps the heat and I end up sweating even more.

COOL DOWN

I got back on the treadmill to get my cool down going. I have this part down to a science. The cool down mile didn't feel like it took very long. At the beginning, my legs felt a bit tired from surviving the main workout. As the cool down went on, my legs felt a bit better. During the entire run, even though my legs were a bit tired, I kept an eye on my form and breathing.

Funny. My cool down time was exactly the same as my warm-up time. It's not something I planned on happening. It is nice to see consistency with my times. Consistency always pays off in the long run.

STRETCHING

I did my usual stretch routine. I'm still able to see the benefits of keeping at it. I'm able to stretch a bit farther, and keep my body under control when transitioning to each stretch. I know keeping up with the stretching to help stay injury free, and keep things flowing around my knee.

WEIGHTS

Today was legs day. I'm feeling pretty confident with my leg routine. It hits all the major leg muscles once and it doesn't take that long to do. I hit the weights for my legs more so to strengthen them, not trying to build bulk. I don't need bulk. I need strength in my legs to help keep me moving forward.

LAST MILE POWER SONG

Today's LMPS was Let's Go Crazy by Prince. Some may think it's a cheezy song. The beat is really good and fast paced. And let's be honest. When running, we all feel a bit 'crazy' sometimes.

Legs Playing Tricks On Me

Today I could have been ok with not going to the gym and instead going tomorrow. I wasn't getting enough sleep this week and my body was protesting. My legs felt like they had weights on them all day. I was still undecided about going to the gym all day, until my ride home from work. With the gym being on the way home from work, my truck found it's way to the gym parking log. Guess I was going to get a workout in after all.

WARM-UP

I sometimes have to wonder how my body knows when it's time to run. When I got on the treadmill, I got it up to my usual 1.0 incline and got the speed set. The warm-up felt really good. I could tell I wasn't being a lead foot on the treadmill, but instead seemed very light on my feet.

I was able to keep the warm-up mile time consistent with the other warm-up and cool down times. Right about 10 minutes seems to be the sweet spot. Not too fast where I feel like I'm pushing the pace, and not too slow where I feel like the warm-up is taking forever to finish.

MAIN WORKOUT

Because my legs were feeling dead for most of the day, I figured the main workout would only be 2 miles. I would throw in a few higher incline 1/4 miles and switching up the pace in there to make things interesting. I was surprised how my body ate those 1/4 miles up. I was curious to see how I'd do with 0 incline set. It is interesting that I was able to noticed a difference in running at 0 incline compared to my usual 1.0. I was able to run a bit faster at 0 incline.

COOL DOWN

I didn't waste much time going from the main workout to the cool down. I was able to get moving and slow things down enough to make the cool down feel good. The cool down felt really good! It did go by quick, which was good. It's good because I'm able to get a mile in and not really give it a second thought.

A bit faster cool down time than expected. I think it has to do with not giving as long of time between the main workout and the cool down like I usually have done.

STRETCHING

I can really tell a difference when I do stretches now. I'm able to stretch a bit farther than I was a few weeks ago. This is really good. I never plan on being Gumbi. All I'm looking for with stretching is to get more flexible and help keep things loose after my run.

WEIGHTS

Today was arms and upper body day. I decided to switch things up and do primarily machine workouts. Typically I have done free weights. I want to keep things interesting and make sure my body can continue to grow from lifting weights. I never plan on being really muscular or want to get bulky. I want to focus on getting my muscles stronger to help push me through longer runs in the summer.

LAST MILE POWER SONG

Today's LMPS was Ready to Go by Republica. The song has a fast paced beat to it. It's always been one of my top go-to songs for when I need to pick up the pace. "On the roof tops shouting out, baby I'm ready to go."

Jello Legs Are Fun

I'm starting to get in the swing of things with going to the gym. I think it's been 3 weeks now since I got a membership to the gym, and I've gone to the gym at least 3x a week. It's allowed me to keep my weeks with having at least one run in to 11 weeks now. Not too bad considering I had knee surgery 5 years ago and was told I should consider taking up biking and not running to help preserve my knee.

WARM-UP
My warm-up routine at the gym is now becoming just that - a routine. I'm not really having to think about what I need to do because my body already knows what to expect. The dynamic stretches on the way to the treadmill helped loosen things up a bit. I got my mile warm-up in and it felt like it went by fast. I think it's great I'm getting to a point where a warm-up mile is effortless and seems to go by fast. Looking at my previous warm-up times, I'm still hitting consistent times too. I know on a treadmill that is a bit easier than running outside, but it does help condition the body to know what it needs to do.

MAIN WORKOUT

I planned on running 3 miles again today. I remind myself this is off season and I don't need to do anything other than keep running and keeping myself conditioned for the spring when races start and I'm outside running again. For the run, I focused on negative splits. No set time to hit. If my body felt like it was working too hard or it didn't feel right, I would have pulled back some. I wanted to try working on getting my body and mind ready for running negative splits during a race. The only way to do that is to practice it. I don't have the exact mile splits (joys of treadmill running). I do know each mile was a bit faster than the previous one.

COOL DOWN

After the effort I gave for the main workout, I welcomed the cool down mile. It felt good to slow things down a bit and get my breathing under control again. Again, like the warm-up mile, the cool down seemed to go by quick and effortless.

It was good to see my cool down mile time was again consistent with other warm-up and cool down times.

STRETCHING

As little of a thing as stretching can be, it's becoming something I look forward to. I can tell I'm getting more range of motion and more flexible. I still stick to a few basic stretches for each muscle group and hold it for a 30 count. I know I could do more, but so far this has been working for me.

WEIGHTS

Since Monday was arms and upper body day, today was leg day. Yay! I've come up with a short leg workout routine where once I'm done, my legs feel like Jello. Just like all weights I lift, I don't focus on the amount of the weight, but the control and being able to get the full extension of the exercise. I also make sure not to do too many leg exercises. I'm only looking to help strengthen things, especially around my knee.

LAST MILE POWER SONG

Today's LMPS was Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry. It's an oldie that many people wouldn't think to have in their playlist. The guitar riffs alone in that song are enough to get me moving. It's really fast paced and it got me moving a bit faster on that last negative split I did.

Treadmills Allow Zombie Minds To Still Get Work Done

I still made it to the gym, even though my mind was telling me I could get caught up on somethings at home. I guess it makes a difference when you have everything you need for going to the gym already packed in your truck, and the gym is on my way home from work. I guess I could have let my mind win, but this time the body over-ruled that decision and I made it inside the gym doors.

WARM-UP
I really wasn't feeling the workout today. I did a few dynamic stretches to help get the blood flowing and get loosened up. I know regardless of what type of workout I do, I gotta stick to my routine - it just seems to work really well for me. I got my warm-up mile in. One of the few times where it was nice to run on a treadmill. I was able to get the speed and elevation set and just be in cruise control. Not always the best idea, but it's much safer to do it on a treadmill than out on the street.

The warm-up didn't seem to take that long to do. I think my body is finally getting back into the swing of things.

MAIN WORKOUT

I knew today I had to get at least 3 miles in for the main workout. I had two days rest (Saturday and Sunday), and I need to get at least 15 miles in this week. The only way to do that is to go to work! The main workout felt surprisingly good. I was able to snap out of my zombie like state and kick it up a bit. I still didn't go all out though. Just enough to keep things moving. I keep an eye on my times and can tell when I've been 'naughty' and ran too fast.

COOL DOWN

It didn't take long after my main workout for me to be ready for my cool down. My legs felt pretty good and I was able to get my breathing back under control. I've always felt that if you can keep your breathing under control and try keeping the mind calm, your body will respond and be able to do more work.

I hit my target goal for my cool down. I figure on a 10 minute mile, give or take 5 seconds for both the warm-up and the cool down.

STRETCHING

I focused again on balance and making a smooth transition between stretches. I don't always do the same stretches in a row, but I do try to hit all major muscle groups and any problematic areas.

WEIGHTS

Today was arms and upper body. I can definitely notice a difference when lifting weights. I'm still no power lifter though. I think compared to most guys I lift super light weights. That's ok with me. I'm there to focus on me and my form. 

LAST MILE POWER SONG

Today's LMPS was Hungry Like The Wolf by Duran Duran. Another 80's song. I didn't plan to have two 80's songs back to back for LMPS. The song does have powerful words in it though. 'I'm hungry like the wolf'. Gotta be hungry with your workouts. It's what separates a mediocre workout from a great workout.

Celebrating A Good Day With A Workout

It's amazing how much energy you can get from having a good day. I was barely standing still all day at work, but yet was still able to get a lot accomplished. I knew it was going to be a good day to workout.

WARM-UP
Dynamic stretches were done on the way to the treadmill. I don't care if I look silly doing them on the journey to the treadmill. I'm at the gym to do work, not try to look a certain way for people. My warm-up mile seemed to go by quick today. My time was right around the same as it usually was though.

I was soaked with sweat after my warm-up was done. I think a lot of it still has to do with running indoors. I don't mind a good sweat though. It feels good to get a good sweat going. Almost like flushing my body of laziness.

MAIN WORKOUT

Even though I felt really good today and knew I could get 3-4 miles in, I focused on getting 2 in today for the main workout. But...to keep things interesting, I decided to throw some hills into the mix. Nothing too crazy. Just enough to change things up again and keep things interesting. I increased the incline every .25 mile and decreased it every .25 mile.

COOL DOWN

With the fun of the main workout over, I made sure to slow things down and focused on making the cool down do what it's supposed to - help cool down the body. 

Looking at my time for the cool down, it was a bit faster than I planned. I still didn't feel like I was going any where near all out for my cool down. It felt comfortable.

STRETCHING

I did my stretching routine after my cool down. Today though, I focused more on balance and control when switching to different stretches. It's another thing I learned during physical therapy that I had to do to help strengthen my legs.

WEIGHTS

Oh boy. Since I focused on my arms on Wednesday, today was focus on legs day. I think I've got a good leg routine going, where I focus on both legs and then each leg individually. I don't do too many exercises though. And even the ones I do for the individual leg isn't using heavy weight. I use just enough to give my leg resistance and not feel like my form is forced to change.

LAST MILE POWER SONG

Today's LMPS was Tainted Love by Soft Cell. Yeah it's an oldie. There's no denying the beat is good and catchy. For me, the song also reminds me of my high school track days. My indoor track coach would always have this playing on the way to a track meet.

Oh What Fun It Is To Run On A Treadmill Today, Hey!

With yesterday being an off-day, I knew I had to get to the gym today to keep things going. Thankfully, I'm doing things the right way and haven't had to take time off due to injury. It's just me vs. me during the workouts.

WARM-UP

I did my dynamic stretches on the way to the treadmill to help get things loosened up. Got on the treadmill and got it going on the 1.0 incline. The warm-up felt really good. I wasn't drenched with sweat or really thirsty after I was done. It felt like a warm-up should!

I think I walked for a minute then wanted to get in to the main workout. Figured if the warm-up felt good, the main workout was going to be great.

MAIN WORKOUT

To hit my mile-per-week goal, I knew I could hit 3 miles and still be on target. To make things interesting, I did some short intervals. I'm still not trying to work on speed. Running at the same setting on a treadmill for 30+ minutes can get boring. I think I did .25 mile at one speed, kicked it up for .50 mile then repeated it. It felt good to get the legs moving at a faster than usual rate. I'm especially impressed my knee is still going strong with all the running I've been doing.

COOL DOWN

Oh man. The cool down felt awesome. I was able to get the body to slow down and get my breathing under control again. The only problem I had - after running at a fast pace, having to slow things down made the cool down mile seem like it took forever!

It's interesting I was 1 second slower on my cool down than I was on my warm-up. I love being consistent like that without having to think about it.

STRETCHING

I was able to get my stretching routine in. I changed it up a bit and did some stretches where it made me work on my balance. My balance isn't that bad. I remember from physical therapy some of the stretches they had me doing to help strengthen things around my ankles and knee.

WEIGHTS

I did more free weight exercises today. I like those better than machine exercises. With free weights you have total control over the weight in each arm. With each lift, you have the actual lift part of the exercise and the control part of the exercise. I made sure to do at least one exercise for arms and shoulders.

LAST MILE POWER SONG

Today's LMPS was Power by Kanye West. I'm not a big fan of Kanye West, but he does have some songs with really good beats. This one got me moving during the last .50 mile of my main workout.

Burn Off Frustration Energy

Today's workout was fueled by missing out on registering for the Bayshore Half Marathon in Traverse City, MI this morning. I didn't expect it to sell out in 19 minutes! Grr!! I was in the middle of trying to register when I found out it reached capacity. I was able to sign up for the 10k instead. I know the marathon still had openings, but I don't think I'd be ready for it. Besides, I want to make sure my mind and body are ready for a full marathon instead of just jumping into one. It's not like it's a 5k where you can typically go out and do one on a few weeks of training.

WARM-UP

I hit the treadmill with a purpose today. I got the treadmill up to 1.0 incline and kicked up the pace. I still kept things in check so I didn't over do it though. It was only the warm-up. I'm still amazed at how much I sweat when running on a treadmill. I was definitely warmed up after the 1.0 mile.

Because the gym was pretty packed, I ended up walking on the treadmill for a couple minutes to prepare myself for the main workout.

MAIN WORKOUT

I knew I didn't have time to get many miles in tonight. I still wanted to get a good workout in, and be able to get home early enough to spend time with my wife. I settled on running 3 miles. I divided it up into getting the first mile out of the way at a good pace. Second mile was just a bit faster. The third mile....well I left everything I had on that treadmill.

COOL DOWN

The start of the cool down was rough. I was beat. I kept telling myself to just make it through 1 more mile and I was done for the day.

STRETCHING

Stretching felt really good. I did the normal stretching routine. So far the stretching routine has served me well. I've been able to take what I learned from physical therapy and keep at it. This means no injuries and no super sore legs.

WEIGHTS

I didn't do too much for weights today. Time crunch made it difficult. I still was able to hit a few leg exercises where I did both legs, then each leg separately. I like breaking up lifting weights with legs this way. It helps focus the lifting on each leg.  

LAST MILE POWER SONG

Today's LMPS was Champ by Ghostface Killah. I found this song searching for gymnastic stretching routines on YouTube. There was a video that had this song playing during the entire stretching routine. There's a really fast guitar riff in it, and it has clips that sound like Mickey and Clubber Lang from Rocky III.