Much to the amusement of my colleagues I’m nowhere near able to touch my toes (about 10 1/2″ away!). I’ve blamed it on cycling giving me tight hamstrings and calves. Years ago I read an article that suggested stretching was overrated and added little real benefit to physical fitness, this was enough for me to sack any notion of stretching, though I seem to have negelected it a bit too much. Anyone else really bad at this, or is stretching a part of your routine? I’d also be interested why its used as a measure of fitness, is it really that relevant?
Palms flat on the floor here. Only used to stretch as part of martial arts. Was told recently by a well respected physio not to both stretching routinely, only to do it if needed for a particular reason. Some people are naturally more flexible.
If you’re going to stretch, the new thinking seems to be that it should be under load otherwise you develop extra range with no control, which can lead to injury ironically.
Hands almost flat on the floor – also from martial arts. I think the intrinsic benefits are mixed – over stretching can be harmful, but using muscles over a wider range of motion can be beneficial.
Yes. Do a series of stretches most mornings and have done for years since a serious back injury. Includes hamstrings and glutes which I feel helps to ‘balance’ my knees as well as my back.
psling – nearly 60, 200lbs +, 38″ waist 8)
I can touch them easily. Never bother stretching.
Always amused me when I’d go to physios, I’d say I cycle, they’d say, You’ll have tight hamstrings!, let’s see you try and touch your toes.
Oh.
However I was recently diagnosed with hypermobility syndrome which appears to be another way of saying you can touch your toes.
Yes.
Though I’m wary of stretching some muscles. My calf muscle ‘popped’ out when stretching lying in bed. Now it happens occasionally when I try and extend my foot down when on the bike.
Its agony, I have to push it back in with my thumbs.
I do not wish to touch my toes, nor any other person’s toes, and I do not understand this obsession. Did you learn this in school, is this why you worry about such a thing?
I consider myself to be relatively fit (I’m 29), but I can normally get nowhere near my toes. Just tried that tip and can now touch my toes easily. Very odd. I don’t really believe I’m better off now though.
YoKaiser – Member
Much to the amusement of my colleagues I’m nowhere near able to touch my toes (about 10 1/2″ away!). I’ve blamed it on cycling giving me tight hamstrings and calves. Years ago I read an article that suggested stretching was overrated and added little real benefit to physical fitness, this was enough for me to sack any notion of stretching, though I seem to have negelected it a bit too much. Anyone else really bad at this, or is stretching a part of your routine? I’d also be interested why its used as a measure of fitness, is it really that relevant?
Haha! If you went doon any further you’d get yer beard hair caught up wi yer baw hair!.
