Pre-Training Stretching Reduces Gains in Muscle Size & Strength

Until recently, pre-exercise stretching was a mandatory ritual. That changed when many studies showed that static stretching before competition or practice decreased strength and power. Roberto Borghi from State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil and co-workers found that practicing static stretching for 10 weeks resulted in lower increases in strength, muscle endurance and muscle size compared to not stretching before training. The weight-training program consisted of four sets of leg extensions to failure at 80 percent of one-repetition maximum (1RM). Flexibility is an important fitness component, but it should be practiced after the workout when the muscles are warm, and it can’t interfere with movement control. (European Journal of Applied Physiology, 117:767-774, 2017)

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