SHOULD YOU REALLY AVOID STRETCHING PRE-WORKOUT?

If you’re reading this, you are likely a personal trainer, coach, or therapist who has at least at one time in their career heard or even said “stretching before a workout is bad for you”.

Unfortunately what many people might do is accept this supposed fact without digging a little deeper into exactly what the research says; 

And also, without understanding that there are very few “hard rules” when it comes to fitness, and that whatever “rules” exist are meant to be broken… that is, if you know how to break them:

”Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively” – Dalai Lama XIV

So, here’s the answer to the question: Should you really avoid stretching pre-workout?

ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT TRAINING AND WANT A CAREER IN THE FIELD?

YES, I WANT TO BECOME A PERSONAL TRAINER

What does the research ACTUALLY tell us about static stretching?

When it comes to stretching before a workout, I want to be specific with exactly what type of stretching I’m referring to, which is static stretching. Saying “stretching is bad for you” is too vague of a statement as there are literally dozens of different modalities we can point to that all encompass the broader topic of <stretching>.

To be clear, static stretching refers to holding a lengthened muscle position for a longer duration of time with very little to no added movement.

On top of this, we can describe stretching intensity with varying degrees of discomfort. You can hold a quad stretch for 30 seconds at a very high level of discomfort measured at 8-9/10, or for 90 seconds with a discomfort level of 5/10.

Unfortunately, the research is quite conflicting and depends very heavily on the experimental methods used. Also, some of the questions we have to ask are:

What type of static stretches were used?
What were the follow-up test exercises?
What were the durations of the stretches and at what level of intensity were they held?
How much rest was spent between the stretch and the test exercise?
What population was studied? (trained athletes, untrained individuals, etc)

And of course…

To what degree do these above questions even MATTER?

One of the things that is common ENOUGH in the research is that it demonstrates that static stretching before a workout is associated with a marked decrease of strength and specifically power output in athletes.

For example, Behm et al. showed that static stretching performed before an explosive jumping exercise may decrease jump height [1], and Yamaguchi et al. showed that concentric dynamic constant external resistance training (DCER) movements showed significantly reduced power output after SS was performed [2].

A study by Thompsen et al. found that after performing static stretching (SS) on the hip, knee, and ankle extensors three times for 20 seconds each, the vertical jump height was significantly reduced [3]”

In numerous studies examining the effects of static stretching on performance, researchers also measured muscle inactivation resulting from the stretching, which in many cases was significant, and correlated to the subsequent reduction in power output. [1]

In another study where 16 trained female athletes were studied, “the results indicated that there was no significant difference (p < 0.05) in vertical jump scores as a result of static or ballistic stretching, elapsed time, or initial flexibility scores. This suggests that stretching prior to competition may not negatively affect the performance of trained women. [4]

The reality is, I can pull up a couple dozen studies and analyze them until the cows come home, but I don’t have to do that because the point of this entire article is to think PAST the research.

The most important thing to consider is the individual in front of you

How are you most able to help them through exercise selection, programming and periodization?

What are their goals?

What limitations do they have, if any, in regard to joint mobility and muscle length?

For example, if you train an advanced or elite level athlete who performs the olympic lifts such as the clean and jerk or snatch, would static stretching have a place in their pre-workout warm-up sequence?

In the overwhelming percentage of cases the answer would be a resounding NO!

What about other sports or training methods that involve explosive action and quick movements?

Again, no.

We don’t want these types of athletes to have MORE laxity in their joints, we want them instead to have more rigidity and stability before they perform these movements or perform in their sport.

If instead we look instead at a recreational or average trainee, we will find that they likely are dealing with many movement impairments, joint restrictions, and muscle stiffness issues that cause negative downstream effects not only to their lifting quality but to life quality. Having tightness in your shoulders isn’t just about being limited in an overhead press. How might shoulder tightness affect someone’s day to day function, especially as they age?

Do you think it matters to this client that static stretching <might> reduce overall power output by 2-5% for a given lift?

Heck, make it 10%, and the answer would still be “Who cares?”

The truth is, it’s not something that needs to be prioritized, at least not initially, and only after which joint mobility can be restored (as much as is possible given their circumstance)

Do reductions in power and strength output matter?

Reductions in power and strength output due to static stretching should only matter to high-level athletes and to those competing.

To anyone else, their goals should be to improve the way their body moves as a priority, and build upon this foundation by strengthening the newfound range of motion over time. Only once movement integrity is improved can we move toward more performance-based workouts.

As an example to this discussion, one of the most common joint restrictions I have seen in my time as a trainer and coach, are the ankles and calves. Tightness in this joint and surrounding tissue will limit the client’s ability to dorsiflex their toes, subsequently restricting the knees from traveling past the toes in many lower body lifts.

If you have poor dorsi-flexion, the entire mechanics of the squat, for example, will be altered. If your client exhibits limited ankle mobility, this will force their hips further back as they descend into their squat, which necessitates a more forward torso to maintain balance.

Although powerlifters often use a similar position during a low-bar squat, it’s important to recognize that this is a deliberate technique, and they are highly trained to execute it safely. In contrast, beginners or intermediate lifters might not have the necessary back and hip strength to support this position. When they unintentionally end up in this stance due to muscle tightness, rather than by choice, it can lead to increased risk of injury.

What I like to do in this specific example is to use a bent-knee calf raise such as a seated calf raise machine in order to improve dorsi-flexion while the hips are flexed, as this position most resembles a squat.

Alternatively, you can also perform this same stretch in a PNF fashion, taking advantage of the contract-relax method.

When it comes to choosing stretches, it’s important that we do so with the client’s needs in mind, and not have them stretch muscles unnecessarily. Not only because in some cases, this can make things worse, but also because we have to be respectful toward their time. 

Efficiency is key to happy clients!

Another example is to look at potential quadriceps and hip flexor tightness. This is because many people spend the majority of their time seated now more than ever, which over time can create facilitated muscles especially in the areas I mentioned.

If this is true for your client and quads are in fact tight, then we have to realize that tightness in a muscle will often lead to compensatory patterns throughout the movement of the joint(s) that muscle crosses and potentially the surrounding joints above and below. The following video demonstrates how hamstring curls will be affected by tight quads and how you can use a static stretch to combat this.

In conclusion, while static stretching may reduce power output for high-level athletes, it can be beneficial for the average person by improving mobility and movement quality, which ultimately enhances overall functionality and quality of life.

Another important fact to consider is how movement quality and hypertrophy potential is inextricably linked. If you can access a more complete ROM, it means you can FATIGUE those muscles thoroughly across that range, ultimately maximizing your potential for gains in lean muscle tissue.

References:

[1]Behm DG, Button DC, Butt JC. Factors affecting force loss with prolonged stretching. Can J Appl Physiol. 2001; 26(3):262-272.
[2]Yamaguchi T, Ishii K, Yamanaka M, Yasuda K. Acute effect of static stretching on power output during concentric dynamic constant external resistance leg extension. J Strength Cond Res. 2006; 20(4): 804-810.
[3]Thompsen AG, Kackley TED, Palumbo MA, Faigenbaum AD. Acute effects of different warm-up
[4]Unick J, Kieffer HS, Cheesman W, Feeney A. The acute effects of static and ballistic stretching on vertical jump performance in trained women. J Strength Cond Res. 2005 Feb;19(1):206-12. doi: 10.1519/R-14843.1. PMID: 15705036.