Aches and Creaks

[Razors Edge ★]

Doing a little warming up & stretching this morning and man did I hear a lot of creaking - especially from my neck & shoulders.  And such tight calves and hamstrings. Mild aches as well.

I think I'm gonna stop with the warming up and stretching. It is too darn hard on me 

Tom

[donkpow]

I was telling my primary care provider (a CNP) about a little problem I have been noticing in my neck. She asked if I stretched before riding the bike. I giggled and said at 25 deg F, stretching before a ride doesn't help.

[Razors Edge ★]

11 minutes ago, donkpow said:

I was telling my primary care provider (a CNP) about a little problem I have been noticing in my neck. She asked if I stretched before riding the bike. I giggled and said at 25 deg F, stretching before a ride doesn't help.

Does stretching BEFORE any ride help?  I like dedicating the first ten minutes of a "real" ride to warming up (on the bike), but I can't say I ever stretch before a ride.  After or during, sure, but before??? Never.

Tom

[Longjohn ★]

47 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Doing a little warming up & stretching this morning and man did I hear a lot of creaking - especially from my neck & shoulders

I’ll bet my shoulder creaks louder than yours. It doesn’t hurt anymore. My surgeon just said I’ll have that. You can hear it from across the room.

[donkpow]

41 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Does stretching BEFORE any ride help?  I like dedicating the first ten minutes of a "real" ride to warming up (on the bike), but I can't say I ever stretch before a ride.  After or during, sure, but before??? Never.

Tom

My opinion is that improving circulation before exercise is good. Stretching gives better circulation than not stretching. Of course, relaxing gives good circulation. Maybe you should do like me and sit on the couch before you ride.

[Square Wheels]

I've read that pre-exercise stretching or static stretching is actually harmful and could lead to injury.  When I ride of run I start out a little slow and work into it.

[ChrisL]

When my son was conditioning for baseball there was a shift away from stretching first.  They would do a lot of dynamic movements and warm ups first and the build into the the harder stuff and stretch last.  The thought is it is bad to stretch cold muscles.

I stretch daily but not before workouts.  I warm up first before doing any hard efforts. 

[Longjohn ★]

Some people call me stretch, I don't know why? 

[pedalphile]

There was a great rugby player, Dean Richards, later on his career his warm up was said to consist of slapping his belly and counting how many seconds it took for the ripples to still.

[2Far ★]

Shouldn't stretch cold muscle. 

I found that stretching after exercise significantly reduced soreness the next day.