Overstretching

[yorickolow]

I've heard that some parts of the body shouldn't be stretched too much or it might be bad ... :/ ... which part of the body shouldn't be stretched too much?

+EDIT:
Should I only do dynamic stretches? I've also heard that relaxed stretching makes you weaker

[NightHunter]

Overstretching is relative to whatever activity you are doing. For example, a powerlifter does not want to be as flexible as a gymnast, who doesn't want to be as flexible as a contortionist.

Everyone should be careful with the shoulders though, too much flexibility in the shoulder can cause injury if you put a load on the joint in a particularly awkward position.

You should do all types of stretching.

Relaxed stretching decreases contractional force for a time after stretching, but it doesn't make you weaker in any way.

At the end of your ROM you are weaker, so if you're very flexible, you won't be able to apply all of your strength to your full ROM.

[Papa Lazarou]

Like NightHunter said, shoulders are at risk of excessive flexibility - their joint capsules are relatively easy to deform. Over-stretching the back is also a risk. Try to keep you back straight in general and if you're specifically stretching your back, avoid hanging stretches.

Relaxed stretching won't reduce "strength", except temporarily (like for a few hours). That's one reason to put it at the end of a training session. Relaxed stretching can however reduce the stiffness of your tendons (more or less permanently). Stiffness in tendons helps generate power in some movements, so reducing it can be problematic for certain athletes.

However, if you follow the method Juji has in his flexibility section, you will probably see only gains from your stretching. The method(s) Juji shows, are believed to work mainly on nervous regulation of muscle length, rather than on the actual structure of the muscle or connective tissue. This means that you probably won't get bad side-effects such as deformed joint surfaces and lax connective tissue.

Sorry - that was probably longer than it needed to be. I can go into more on specific points if any of that worries you.

What activity do you want flexibility for by the way?

[yorickolow]

:/ , didn't know all that.

What activity do you want flexibility for by the way?

The obvious, tricking.

Thanks for the replies,

[Ashtar]

By overstretching the back do you mean flexing it too much? Is this more like when muscles lengthen under resistance?

[Papa Lazarou]

Yeah I was talking about flexion. Apparently the ligaments of the lower back are relatively easy to stretch. I guess because, in a hanging stretch, your spine is being pulled and bent with a fair chunk of body weight on it. (Stretching ligaments has few benefits and many costs).

By the way, what exactly are the problems with over-extension? I can't really guess what they'd be.

[Source]

From what I've been taught, over-extension of the back is very rare in anyone. Usually the muscles in the back aren't stretched in extension (as opposed to flexion) which is a normal cause of back pain.

[TKD_Andy]

please read the main site before posting ridiculous things that 'youve been told' which are complete rubbish.

RESEARCH BEFORE POSTING :good:

there are far too many resident ill-educated kurz ass-kissers who are more than ready to give you poor advice that while benefitting you a small amount, will lead you away from making the best, safest and most informed gains.

[Papa Lazarou]

I said it in the other thread. Please feel free to argue reasonably against Kurz's method, or against any advice I give. I'm not going to change my position just because you say it's wrong. Give me evidence and I might agree.

Kurz method is safe, whatever else it might be. I don't agree with Kurz on a few things, but as far as I know, his method of flexibility training is the best (for now).

Also, Juji's flexibility section is based on Kurz. So "read the main site" won't really help anyone from your point of view.

This sort of post from you is doing no good to anyone. Next time you write one, give evidence, an alternative method, or point to where we can find that information ourselves. Why convince people with rhetoric when you can do it with logic?