"Stretching is dead!"

[JPH]

There is a short video posted on www.crossfit.com today entitled "Stretching is dead!"
 
http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFitJournal_KellyStretchingDead.wmv
 
I agree! I stretch only rarely and I always manage to hurt myself when I do. Last week I had a little extra time at the end of my workout. There was a trainer (obviously a runner) working on stretching with a girl. I decided to do some static stretches as well. Now I am nursing two new muscle pulls that I sustained in following three days.
 
I am of the opinion that static stretching weakens muscles and does little or nothing to actually benifit you. I realize that this flies in the face of what many other fitness buffs believe, so go ahead and voice your opinion.

[Sailfish]

Here is my take.

I have never really stretched, and have remained mostly injury free all these years. I do have to stretch my calves now thanks to an heel spur.
The key to stretching however is to not do it cold. You have to warm the muscles and tendons and ligs up first then gradually lengthen them.

[DoeEyed]

JPH you hurt yourself because you over stretch. pulling the muscles too far. I always stretch after i work out and my muscles are warmed up. Maybe stretching isn't necessary for some people. I just don't like my muscle's feeling tense and for me it alleviates soreness after a strenuous workout.

[DeanoZ]

Personally I'm a big proponent of stretching, in my own experience it has been beneficial to me in injury prevention...those times when I have not stretched both before and after are when I'll get a twinge, spasm or sprain.  I try to incorporate flexibility training into my daily routines using both static and dynamic stratching as part of that regime.  I've seen the studies that show in a group of "X" that there was no measurable difference in flexibility or injury prevention in those who stretched, but I also know everyone is different, for me and many of those I help train it does work IMHO.  Good thread JPH!