How much stretching you do?

[Mac33]

At 51, I feel in the last year or two I've gone downhill fast when it comes to my agility especially in my legs.

My lower back is another area that's getting stiffer too.

Today is was cold around 15 C and I was really struggling to move due to the stiffness in my legs and bend my back.

As of 10 minutes ago I've decided to stretch daily and have one leg crossed on the other as I type.

Not done any stretching in years as I my job involves stretching constantly though mostly upper body.

Tried to touch my toes tonight and realised for the first time ever I could barely touch them.

Now that was one BIG shock to me.

Anyway,I tend not to do things by half measures so 15 minutes stretching now morning and night for the next month.

Will get back to you with my results then.

Finally was wondering do most pro's do daily stretches?

 

[movdqa]

My daily stretching routine:

- Reach for toes (I can't touch them), both legs straight and inverted V
- Hamstring stretch (usually standing)
- Calf stretch (usually against a wall or some support)
- Lion roar (stretches the jaw)
- Put one foot on bench or stool with the other on the floor and lean into the leg
- Hands above head: stretch forward, left-up, right up
- Hands behind lower back, lift arms up
- Rotate shoulders (twist back and forth)
- Small arm circles
- Arm across shoulder, grab elbow with opposite hand, tug across towards other side
- Arms above head with lower arm parallel to ground, tug arm towards other side
- Arms above head with lower arm pointing down, tug elbow downwards

The shoulder stretches/exercises are for the rotator cuff. I have never had shoulder problems in the past though I've run into many tennis players that have them and I want to avoid them. Rows are good for the shoulder too.

I do some yoga stretches too but not on a regular basis.

I think that core strength can help with agility. There are a lot of bodyweight exercises that you can do to help with core strength.


I do bodyweight and machine exercises for that. Barbell work (squats, deadlift, military press, bench press) can work a lot of muscles in a short period of time to maintain muscles in places that you otherwise don't use regularly. I like pullups and dips as well.

 

[Noveson]

My daily stretching routine:

- Reach for toes (I can't touch them), both legs straight and inverted V
- Hamstring stretch (usually standing)
- Calf stretch (usually against a wall or some support)
- Lion roar (stretches the jaw)
- Put one foot on bench or stool with the other on the floor and lean into the leg
- Hands above head: stretch forward, left-up, right up
- Hands behind lower back, lift arms up
- Rotate shoulders (twist back and forth)
- Small arm circles
- Arm across shoulder, grab elbow with opposite hand, tug across towards other side
- Arms above head with lower arm parallel to ground, tug arm towards other side
- Arms above head with lower arm pointing down, tug elbow downwards

The shoulder stretches/exercises are for the rotator cuff. I have never had shoulder problems in the past though I've run into many tennis players that have them and I want to avoid them. Rows are good for the shoulder too.

I do some yoga stretches too but not on a regular basis.

I think that core strength can help with agility. There are a lot of bodyweight exercises that you can do to help with core strength.


I do bodyweight and machine exercises for that. Barbell work (squats, deadlift, military press, bench press) can work a lot of muscles in a short period of time to maintain muscles in places that you otherwise don't use regularly. I like pullups and dips as well.

Way to be.

 

[LeeD]

Zero zip stretching.
I"ve never been able to touch my toes with my knees straight.
When I perform the shoulder stretch test, one arm below armpit, the other reaching above the shoulder, my fingers are around 14" apart. Most flexible people can grasp their fingers, or wrists. Oh, just tried looking back at a bathroom mirror, looks more like 19".
Hasn't affected my tennis serves, flat serves just at 100 mph. 67 year's old.

 

[rchjr2091]

I know stretching would be very beneficial to my tennis and everyday fitness , just like I know I should drink more water but I've failed at both for 41 years.

 

[Noveson]

Zero zip stretching.
I"ve never been able to touch my toes with my knees straight.
When I perform the shoulder stretch test, one arm below armpit, the other reaching above the shoulder, my fingers are around 14" apart. Most flexible people can grasp their fingers, or wrists. Oh, just tried looking back at a bathroom mirror, looks more like 19".
Hasn't affected my tennis serves, flat serves just at 100 mph. 67 year's old.

LeeD we've seen videos of you playing, who are you trying to convince you serve 100mph.

 

[movdqa]

I know stretching would be very beneficial to my tennis and everyday fitness , just like I know I should drink more water but I've failed at both for 41 years.

You might try following some fitness social media sites for a bit. There are often motivational reminders to do things which can be helpful during the day.

I usually workout everyday so I stretch before my workout. It's an easy way to get stretches in.

 

[rchjr2091]

You might try following some fitness social media sites for a bit. There are often motivational reminders to do things which can be helpful during the day.

I usually workout everyday so I stretch before my workout. It's an easy way to get stretches in.

I probably should. I've worked out my whole life, I just find drinking water and stretching 2 things that I've never been good at doing.

 

[LeeD]

LeeD we've seen videos of you playing, who are you trying to convince you serve 100mph.

Only the guys I played against, Matt, Andre, Yaz, Papa, Shroud, Miquel Loo, President, Focus 42, RajS, VitaminL, his bud, RobFl, so I don't need to impress YOU. You don't know this, so I'll enlighten you. Most of my serves are spin serve to up the percentage, so maybe 85 mph. When I hit a flat serve, it goes 100, as everyone listed above will attest.
That's like, EVERYONE who's played me will agree my serve is around 100, when I hit a flat serve. YOU think ever serve should go 100, or it ain't happenning. You are wrong, of course.

 

[GBplayer]

Yoga/Tai Chi classes at least two and sometimes three times a week .

 

[GBplayer]

You might try following some fitness social media sites for a bit. There are often motivational reminders to do things which can be helpful during the day.

I usually workout everyday so I stretch before my workout. It's an easy way to get stretches in.

You should stretch after a workout , not before really.

 

[Mac33]

Played 3 sets today and that 10-15 minute stretch last night made a big difference.

Feels there's less of that lactic acid in my legs.

Best my legs have felt in 6months so I'm hooked.

 

[Deleted member 23235]

Lol, not enough


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mac33]

I would have thought the same too.

All in my mind....maybe.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

In addition to static stretching at night or AFTER tennis, you might consider doing some dynamic stretching just prior to tennis. This would include walking lunges, arm swings, arm circles & shadow swings.

Djokovic, Murray and other pros are known practitioners of yoga. Keep in mind that yoga, like other static strecthes should not be performed right BEFORE tennis. I believe that almost all top players perform both static and dynamic stretching.

 

[kaninfaan]

...Keep in mind that yoga, like other static strecthes should not be performed right tennis....

I suggest you meant: "Keep in mind that yoga, like other static strecthes should not be performed right BEFORE tennis" ?

Most people do not know what stretching is nor how to do it. This presents a problem when discussing "it". One of my books on the subject lists five different types each of "dynamic" and "static" stretching methods and that is not an attempt to be conclusive and list "all known types"
This often creates "apples and oranges"-type discussions.
For example; Dynamic Stretching (the way it's usually defined in contrast to ballistic stretching) is a good part of a warmup routine while isometric stretching would be harmful in the same context.

fwiw

 

[Shroud]

In addition to static stretching at night or AFTER tennis, you might consider doing some dynamic stretching just prior to tennis. This would include walking lunges, arm swings, arm circles & shadow swings.

Djokovic, Murray and other pros are known practitioners of yoga. Keep in mind that yoga, like other static strecthes should not be performed right tennis. I believe that almost all top players perform both static and dynamic stretching.

SA I am assuming you meant to say: "should not be performed right BEFORE tennis"??

 

[Shroud]

SA I am assuming you meant to say: "should not be performed right BEFORE tennis"??

Yikes, I missed kaninfaan's post!

 

[joe sch]

In addition to static stretching at night or AFTER tennis, you might consider doing some dynamic stretching just prior to tennis. This would include walking lunges, arm swings, arm circles & shadow swings.

Djokovic, Murray and other pros are known practitioners of yoga. Keep in mind that yoga, like other static strecthes should not be performed right tennis. I believe that almost all top players perform both static and dynamic stretching.

Great advice, I also suggest extending your "dynamic stretching just prior to tennis" to continuous stretching as much as possible while you do your events. For example, before/after points and weight training circuits to help keep your max flexibility and prevent muscles from tightening up.

 

[mmk]

I'm 60, and before a singles match I get on an elliptical for 10 to 15 minutes to warm up my leg muscles, then I do 50 or so toe or floor touches, 30 achilles/calf stretches per leg, 25 to 30 sideways groin stretches per side, and 25 to 30 linear groin stretches per side. I added the groin stretches after watching a guy I know on the court next to me pull his. My shoulders are naturally loose, so I don't have any problem there.

 

[rchjr2091]

Great advice, I also suggest extending your "dynamic stretching just prior to tennis" to continuous stretching as much as possible while you do your events. For example, before/after points and weight training circuits to help keep your max flexibility and prevent muscles from tightening up.

This is actually what I do in the weight room, I do not like to waste any time in the gym so stretching is one option I like to do.

 

[speedysteve]

I do a daily routine of two alternating back care and stretching routines.
Back problems are gone completely.
Interwoven are Theraband flex bar arm exercises (both arms, tennis and golfers). I do them twice a day.
I also do squats, quad and hamstring stretches, oh and new addition, wall angels - great for shoulders / neck.

Usually done watching a tennis match of my choice on TennisTV

 

[Surion]

I do a daily routine of two alternating back care and stretching routines.
Back problems are gone completely.
Interwoven are Theraband flex bar arm exercises (both arms, tennis and golfers). I do them twice a day.
I also do squats, quad and hamstring stretches, oh and new addition, wall angels - great for shoulders / neck.

Usually done watching a tennis match of my choice on TennisTV

I'm doing a 15 minutes routine twice a day, which helped tremendously with my lower back problems, but completely gone? Sounds like a dream!

Mind sharing your routine?

 

[Mac33]

Wearing 2 pairs of track suit pants before a match and during the warm up is a good way to get your legs working near full capacity from the start.

I wear 2 pairs of track pants now full time in winter - playing tennis or not - keep my 51 year old legs in peak condition.

Trying hard to keep up with my daily stretches but its not easy!

 

[speedysteve]

I'm doing a 15 minutes routine twice a day, which helped tremendously with my lower back problems, but completely gone? Sounds like a dream!

Mind sharing your routine?

Sorry for the slow reply.

I do a routine by a guy called Matt Roberts. Unfortunately the back care routine of his is not on Youtube.

The workout routines are Part 1 and then you can see part 2.

His mobility routine is also good pre-match

You'll get the idea from these...

I have the full set on DVD and as small mp4's on my phone The DVD was free in a National News paper a few years ago.

That is one day. The next day I do a set of core / back exercises the physio gave for lumbago treatment / help prevent future occurrences.
i have these as scanned docs.

If you PM me your email address I can send you them

As with all these things: regular, careful adherence and thorough application is essential.

 

[Surion]

Sorry for the slow reply.

I do a routine by a guy called Matt Roberts. Unfortunately the back care routine of his is not on Youtube.

The workout routines are Part 1 and then you can see part 2.

His mobility routine is also good pre-match

You'll get the idea from these...

I have the full set on DVD and as small mp4's on my phone The DVD was free in a National News paper a few years ago.

That is one day. The next day I do a set of core / back exercises the physio gave for lumbago treatment / help prevent future occurrences.
i have these as scanned docs.

If you PM me your email address I can send you them

As with all these things: regular, careful adherence and thorough application is essential.

Thank you very much, I'll watch those videos

 

[Minion]

My wife is a certified yoga instructor. I hate stretching, so I avoid it. I'll only do yoga when I have a niggle - sorts it out quickly. I know, I know, but I'm lazy.

 

[movdqa]

My wife is a certified yoga instructor. I hate stretching, so I avoid it. I'll only do yoga when I have a niggle - sorts it out quickly. I know, I know, but I'm lazy.

I stretch because I think that it feels good while doing it and it makes my workouts easier. The problem is time - there are times when I want to get right into the activity. I have to stretch before running and it's good to do for tennis but I usually don't stretch before tennis.

 

[Minion]

I stretch because I think that it feels good while doing it and it makes my workouts easier. The problem is time - there are times when I want to get right into the activity. I have to stretch before running and it's good to do for tennis but I usually don't stretch before tennis.

That's what the warmup is for in tennis stretching is for overeager young people

 

[movdqa]

That's what the warmup is for in tennis stretching is for overeager young people

There are various older people that I hit with that do some on-court stretching. Some folks do crunches too - I think that it's part of their daily routine but they often don't remember to do it daily so they do it on the tennis court when they're early. I run into many older folks that have a five or ten minute daily routine that covers a lot of bases - just to maintain muscle mass to avoid injury. In general, skipping the regular routine for two weeks results in a noticeable degradation of strength.

 

[Minion]

There are various older people that I hit with that do some on-court stretching. Some folks do crunches too - I think that it's part of their daily routine but they often don't remember to do it daily so they do it on the tennis court when they're early. I run into many older folks that have a five or ten minute daily routine that covers a lot of bases - just to maintain muscle mass to avoid injury. In general, skipping the regular routine for two weeks results in a noticeable degradation of strength.

Yep, that is true - I've seen it as well

 

[comeback]

Stretching is tricky as you get older..If you haven't stayed active, strong and flexible. It will deteriorate quickly ,almost overnight..if you've played long and hard athletics in your past you probably have adhesions and scar tissue which makes effective stretching difficult and almost negligible..Until you have intense bodywork done ie triggerpoint, rolfing, granston etc..then stretching improvement will be limited or even dangerous

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

I stretch because I think that it feels good while doing it and it makes my workouts easier. The problem is time - there are times when I want to get right into the activity. I have to stretch before running and it's good to do for tennis but I usually don't stretch before tennis.

Again, static stretching prior to tennis (or running) in most cases is NOT advised. Static stretching, prior to exercise, reduces muscle performance -- it reduces both muscle speed and muscle strength. These would not seem to be ideal for playing sports, lifting weights, etc. In some cases, static stretching prior to exercise might even increase, rather then decrease, the risk of injury.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/03/reasons-not-to-stretch/?_r=0
http://stronglifts.com/5-reasons-why-you-shouldnt-do-static-stretches/

 

[janky]

I started learning the kick serve a few years ago. It has been amazing for my confidence on my first serve knowing I can always hit my 2nd serve in. However, I started putting a lot of pressure on my lower back and had constant lower back pain. Buddy of mine on my USTA team recommended these stretches for the back from Mayo Clinic. I started do them twice a day for 4 months and the pain is gone. Now I only do them once a day either on their own or after any workout:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/multimedia/back-pain/sls-20076265?s=1

I also do a 5-6 minute leg/wrist/shoulder stretching routing after playing tennis and the leg stretches after any running or leg weights. Basically, I stretch all the time. Dynamic warm ups before playing tennis.

 

[shindemac]

To me, alot of things are interconnected, so it depends on how much I do of other activities. They all have diff plus and minus, so it's a balance. After i dislocated my shoulder last year, i couldn't do a lot of normal things like swimming. So i had to find something simple. I chose walking because it has a lot of benefits. When I was stretching last year, i reached my splits after walking. Or i can add in a session of yoga to replace the walking. Or i might do both on the same day. Or yoga and stretching. What does walking have to do with stretching? It's true that it is an easy cardio work-out. But it helped too. Just like yoga is also good for core, strength, balance, etc.

 

[Bobby Jr]

Again, static stretching prior to tennis (or running) in most cases is NOT advised. Static stretching, prior to exercise, reduces muscle performance -- it reduces both muscle speed and muscle strength. These would not seem to be ideal for playing sports, lifting weights, etc. In some cases, static stretching prior to exercise might even increase, rather then decrease, the risk of injury.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/03/reasons-not-to-stretch/?_r=0
http://stronglifts.com/5-reasons-why-you-shouldnt-do-static-stretches/

The thing with these items are they are basically about static stretches which are held for a fair amount of time. I've seen people look into this and static stretches held for shorter times (15 seconds-ish or less) result in no measurable decline in speed or strength. Similarly, those held longer only have a negative effect for a fairly short amount of time (less than 20 minutes), which also varies person to person.

I know it's all the rage to write articles proclaiming the opposite of what has been the norm for decades (or longer) but they're usually quite specific and need to be taken with a grain of salt. Most people in most situations will be better off to have stretched in any reasonable way before playing any given sport. It's not all-encompassing at all, but certainly way closer to being it compared to not stretching.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

The thing with these items are they are basically about static stretches which are held for a fair amount of time. I've seen people look into this and static stretches held for shorter times (15 seconds-ish or less) result in no measurable decline in speed or strength. Similarly, those held longer only have a negative effect for a fairly short amount of time (less than 20 minutes), which also varies person to person.

I know it's all the rage to write articles proclaiming the opposite of what has been the norm for decades (or longer) but they're usually quite specific and need to be taken with a grain of salt. Most people in most situations will be better off to have stretched in any reasonable way before playing any given sport. It's not all-encompassing at all, but certainly way closer to being it compared to not stretching.

The norm you speak of is a norm dating back 20-25 years ago or more. In the early 90s, I started to become aware of studies that called this norm into question. At that, there was some experts indicating that post-exercise static stretching might be more important the pre-exercise static stretching. More studies in the 90s and 00s took these ideas even further -- indicating that pre-exercise static did NOT reduce the risk of injury and, in factm appeared to reduce muscle performance (speed and strength). Some studies even indicated that some static stretches could even increase the risk of injury in some cases.

I and quite a few other poster have posted numerous links on this subject in the past decade. These are links supporting the idea that, in most cases, static stretches should be avoided 30-60 minutes or more prior to competition or other exercise. There has been a push for nearly 2 decades that dynamic stretches or a dynamic warmup should replace the old-school norm of static stretches.

I believe that these ideas have been implemented by most professional and university teams in the past decade or two. Both the USTA and the ITF advocate a dynamic warm up (no static stretching) prior to tennis. However, there are still many high school coaches or older coaches (who learned about stretching and exercise in the 70s thru the 90s) who have not kept up with the findings of the past 2+ decades.

Static stretches are typically held for 10-30 seconds. It has been a few years since I've looked at any of the most current studies. I do not recall any studies in the past 25+ years that made a distinction between stretches held for 20-30 seconds vs stretches that are only held for 10-15 seconds. Do you have any reliable sources that make this distinction?

Has the ITF or USTA changed their stance recently -- since it adopted the idea of a dynamic warm-up (sans static stretches) 10-15 years ago?

 

[Bobby Jr]

The..... *post* ..

This is where people get off the wagon on the wrong side. I didn't advocate for holding static stretches for long periods. What I said it suggesting ANY static stretching will have negative results is patently wrong by virtually any measure. Your posts don't distinguish.

It is obvious to anyone who has ever actually done it that light static stretches are far more beneficial than not doing them. I'm not comparing it with doing dynamic stretches, just doing nothing (pre-activity). You see sportspeople of all types doing static stretches immediately before competition, and even during competition - something I've seen virtually every tennis player do (Fed, Djok, Nadal, Murray etc) as well as sprinters and other athletes. A quick static stretch is clearly something which relieves a bit of tightness, unevenness or lethargy. Suggesting otherwise because of a series of studies which was actually looking at something else (specifically: the relative benefits/downsides of holding static stretches vs dynamic warm-up) is taking a grain of knowledge and extrapolating it far in excess of what the studies actually suggest.

You will not find a competent PT/physio who would advocate you're better off doing no stretching at all compared to some mild static stretches prior to activity, even if dynamic stretching/warm-up is a better option yet.

 

[RogueFLIP]

Stretching is tricky as you get older..If you haven't stayed active, strong and flexible. It will deteriorate quickly ,almost overnight..if you've played long and hard athletics in your past you probably have adhesions and scar tissue which makes effective stretching difficult and almost negligible..Until you have intense bodywork done ie triggerpoint, rolfing, granston etc..then stretching improvement will be limited or even dangerous

While I agree about scar tissue and adhesion may hinder stretching's effectiveness, I disagree that you have to have "intense" bodywork in order to see improvements. There are some gentle forms of bodywork that can be just as effective and IMO/IME much much more effective than the "intense" forms.

 

[heninfan99]

When I just hit on the wall I do 5 minutes but I should be doing 20 minutes of stretching. I should be doing Yoga every day tbh

 

[frank52]

Yoga/Tai Chi classes at least two and sometimes three times a week .

Lee Holden has some nice Qi Gong videos. I do the one titled "Qi Gong for Healthy Joints". Good for loosening up the back and shoulders. A good video for those of us who don't like to stretch.

 

[LGQ7]

In my youth, zero stretching. After my exposure to ballet, I do ⅓. ⅓ stretching, ⅓ weights, ⅓ cardio.

Arnold himself does stretching before and after lifting.

 

[Sirius Black]

Not enough. I have pretty good hamstring flexibility (can get my palms on the ground) but my abduction is pretty limited. Need to do some focused groin stretching.

 

[1HBH-DownTheLine]

i'm sure i don't do enough stretching. i should be stretching more when i'm not playing tennis. but usually before tennis, i'll stretch out my lower back by doing a few exercises, do a bunch of arm circles to loosen up those shoulder joints good. quad and calves and groin stretches. maybe a few jump ropes to get my feet moving. that's about it. no injuries yet and i'm 28.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Arnold himself does stretching before and after lifting.

That was way back in 1982. In the past 15-25 years, it has come to light that static stretching is best done after exercise or at other times of the day. Prior to exercise, most, if not all, of your stretching should be dynamic.

 

[Fintft]

My daily stretching routine:
- Rotate shoulders (twist back and forth)
- Small arm circles
-

Anything against...large arm circles? Or is that rotating shoulders? I do two series of 30 very fast, both ways.

The only time when I had shoulder problem was in high school basketball and since then I've also started using 5 band chest expanders.

Truth be told my serving shoulder is a bit cranky/stiff, hence even more reason to stretch it.

 

[scotus]

Anything against...large arm circles? Or is that rotating shoulders? I do two series of 30 very fast, both ways.

The only time when I had shoulder problem was in high school basketball and since then I've also started using 5 band chest expanders.

Truth be told my serving shoulder is a bit cranky/stiff, hence even more reason to stretch it.

I would start with smaller circles and then move to larger circles. Safer this way.

 

[2HBH-DTL]

i do very minimal stretching before a match but will do more of it after so things don't charlie horse or tighten up.

 

[Deleted member 23235]

not enough. but trying to add yoga once a week (been given a choice between playing tennis or training martial arts - i tend to choose those, so yoga gets pushed to the wayside )

 

[Mongolmike]

After reoccurring lower back issues, I started stretching and lower back strengthening 2x a day... get up 15 minutes early before work, and sometimes in the evening. Will always add in some specific stretches before I play tennis. Has really helped a lot... but I don't like doing it. I was never a stretcher, but rather be one than be on one.