21. Stretching... The Truth

Stretching is good for you, right?

Many of us feel we "should" stretch more, whether it's to prevent injury, as a warmup, to recover quicker, to feel less stiff, or just because it's somehow virtuous to stretch.

Let's see what science has to say.

• Gene Kelly and Jerry mouse here
• 6RM squat elicits the same activation in the core muscles as a full plank to failure with 20% bodyweight on the lower back here
• Strength training is as effective as stretching for increasing flexibility here
• Static stretching temporarily reduces muscle force here
• Stretching has no effect on total risk of injury here
• Stretching has no effect on post exercise muscle soreness or recovery here
• Cold water immersion reduces perceived, but not actual, fatigue after exercise here
• A subjective feeling of stiffness in the back has no correlation with actual tissue stiffness here
• Strength training makes you live longer here
• Cardiorespiratory exercise makes you live longer here
• Flexibility training makes you live longer.... nowhere

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