You're Stretching Wrong Before Workouts
 

http://lifehacker.com/5079753/youre-stretching-wrong-before-workouts

We all know that you're supposed to get in a good, long stretch before a workout, right? Unfortunately most of our commonly held beliefs regarding stretching are dead wrong, according to the New York Times—at least in the way you may be doing it.

I don't know about this. I've been bodybuilding for about 16 years and the static stretching before workouts has worked well for me. In fact a few times when I skimped on it, I paid for it with pain afterward. I think going straight to dynamic stretching, which is what exercise does too, is asking for trouble.

Before ballet class the best warm up was a shot of scotch followed by a massage with a liberal application of Ben Gay....

I have been bodybuilding since 13, usually on free weights and bench, I have never done stretches but have done loosening exercises before hitting the weights, so far at 43 I still haven't suffered from any muscle tissue damage. I do warm up my circulation though before lifting weights.

stretch
 

My method of stretching (actually limbering) before lifting is one mile on my rowiing machine. I believe dynamics are better than a static stretch.

Well, they both have their place. I do static stretching first, then each exercise that's going to work a fresh muscle is started with a light warm-up set which I consider the dynamic part.

Clinical Studies? Oh yeah...
 

I quit static stretching in the late 90's, never noticed any benefit.

Also, when I was studying with Jon Hines at the Monkey Bar Gym in Madtown (http://www.monkeybargym.com/), this article came out from the UW-Madison. Nothing new to us. ;)

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/325/7362/451

Ben Gay is popular in the bath houses.

I thought it was gay Ben. I've also heard Ben Dover is popular in the bath houses . . .