I argued for years that static stretching before runs was essential, almost blew out my hamstring twice before I quit doing it

Back in 2019 I was that guy holding a 30 second toe touch before every 5k, swore by it. Then I pulled my hamstring twice in 4 months during mile 2, both times after stretching. A PT friend finally showed me studies where static stretching before exercise drops power output by like 5-8 percent. Swapped to dynamic warmups like leg swings and walking lunges instead, haven't had a pull since. Any other runners here ditch the old stretching advice and see better results?

3 comments

3 Comments

terry_lewis2120d ago

That "drops power output by 5-8 percent" part really stuck with me, drives home why I felt so sluggish after toe touches.

christopher_sullivan20d ago

I used to think static stretching was the gold standard too, it was hard to let go of that habit. But seeing how @henry_martinez had the same problem and fixed it with dynamic warmups really convinced me to switch. Now I just do leg swings and walking lunges before runs and my hamstrings feel way more loose and ready.

henry_martinez20d ago

Oh man, I was you in 2017, did the whole "gotta touch my toes for 60 seconds before I run" thing religiously. I had a PT friend literally print out a study from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research that showed static stretching before a run reduces hamstring strength by like 7% for up to two hours after. Switched to leg swings, high knees, and butt kicks about 4 years ago, and my mile times actually dropped while my injuries stopped. I still do a quick toe touch after my runs for cooldown, but never before.