does more muscle = need 4 more stretching?

[getnfit@39]

Hi Cathe and E.C.,

I've been really tight in the hips and hamstrings the last few weeks and I'm wondering if as we build more muscle do we also need to incorporate more stretching in our routine?
My last rotation utilized PLB and ME as the primary leg workouts, and I know I made some muscle gains that I can both see and feel (the ONLY reason I can accept the brutality of leg presses!), but it was also during this time that I started to notice an increase in tightness in my hips and hamstrings, and lower back to a lesser degree. And although the tightness is there, my flexibility hasn't been compromised at all, so I admit I'm not one to pop in a stretch tape and do 30min/week consistently as I use to, but now that tightness has become an issue, I'm wondering if as I make more muscle gains/improvements, do I need to consider adding more planned stretching as well? So in other words, do they go hand in hand?

Thanks for the replys in advance,

Donna
Fitness~ It's a journey, not a race!

 

[dimples237]

Donna,

I don't know if you've tried Pilates, but I find that tacking on a short session after doing somthing like PH or MIS works wonders for my lower body (avoiding tightness and maintaining flexibility, etc.). Or, if I don't have time to do it right after the weight workout, I try to do a quick session before I go to bed at night or that next morning. I'm not a big fan of stretch tapes either, but with Pilates I get the double bonus of an ab workout with the lower body toning/lengthening/streching. Just a suggestion!

Sarah

 

[kathryn]

Donna,
Rather than popping in a stretch tape, I find it very efficient to stretch each muscle group after I've worked it. This is also recommended in many weight training books. The muscles are then already warm and ready for the stretch. The S&H series already has time for a good stretch between sets. For other workouts, you can just take a bit more of a stretch between sets. On workouts like PH, which have longer sets, I stretch after each body part.

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Donna! Your body is most likely responding to the newness of your rotation. Leg presses usually have me sore in those exact areas you mentioned. Tightness is an obvious sign that you have worked the area. Be sure that you include more stretching to help loosen the area. Also, you may need to factor in a bit more rest for this area if the tightness doesn't seem to go away.

To answer your question directly, you should factor in more streching anytime you feel tightness, more so than when you have increased your weight training workouts. So whether you weight train a little or a lot, if you feel tighter than usual, increase your streching and perhaps even add a flexibility tape to your program.
Take Care!

 

[NittyGritty]

Cathe, allow me to speak up here and lobby for a stretching/flexibility tape... PLEASE MAKE ONE.


I think you'd do a great job at a thorough body stretch. If you put it on DVD the chaptering would make it possible for us to pick out stretches for lower- and upper-body soreness, stretches for relaxing and unwinding and stretches for non-DVD exercise (running, for example).

I put a suggestion in your suggestion file, but I'm pitching my idea here, too.
:7

Thanks!

 

[NittyGritty]

Yikes! I just read that the suggestion file was accidentally retired! Well, then, I am pitching this idea TWICE here.

:7

Thanks!

 

[clareMc]

I want to echo the pitch!!!!!!! Athletic and pilates style stretch would be the perfect accompaniment to our Cathe video library!!!

Clare