How flexible should runners be?

The better runner you are, the worse you are at stretching (research shows this). Static stretching before exercise makes muscles weaker. Google a NY Times article called "Stretching the truth".

Jon Drummond?

Palms on the ground is a good goal for range of motion. Stretching done properly builds resistance to injury and increases range of motion. Stretching done improperly can cause injury.

Flexible enough to not get hurt (unless you are a steepler)

Its a myth wrote:

The better runner you are, the worse you are at stretching (research shows this). Static stretching before exercise makes muscles weaker. Google a NY Times article called "Stretching the truth".

I Googled what you said and was directed to midget porn. Thanks :)

top distance guy on my team in high school was scary flexible like creepy circus freak flexbile... obviously that's anecdotal but I have a hard time believing you can't be a good runner and also be flexible?

We were talking about stretching after a workout and my coach, a three time Olympian, tried to touch his toes. He got less than halfway down his shins.

Its a myth wrote:

The better runner you are, the worse you are at stretching (research shows this). Static stretching before exercise makes muscles weaker. Google a NY Times article called "Stretching the truth".

Has anyone else seen elite sprinters and top college and high school athletes raise a leg up to head height and hold it there with apparent ease?

I understand the premise, but I've seen too many top athletes with ridiculous flexibility to think it means much from person to person.

Is there a general measurement of flexibility? Comparable to the Richter scale for earthquakes or something like that?

fisky wrote:

We were talking about stretching after a workout and my coach, a three time Olympian, tried to touch his toes. He got less than halfway down his shins.

My kid's coach was a 3-time Olympian too, and he is palms on ground or past it. But he was not a distance runner.

The modern theory is you need some resistance in your muscles, for the springs to bounce back, and being too flexible can stifle that a bit. Fingers or palms on ground is enough for most events, except some technical ones that might need a bit more, like 36-inch high hurdles, or TJ.

One should be flexible enough that if they go for an 8 mile run and get lost, they will have no problem doing 18 miles.

Karma Police wrote:

fisky wrote:

We were talking about stretching after a workout and my coach, a three time Olympian, tried to touch his toes. He got less than halfway down his shins.

My kid's coach was a 3-time Olympian too, and he is palms on ground or past it. But he was not a distance runner.

Telling us what he is rather than what he is not would be more relevant.

Big Mac Please wrote:

Karma Police wrote:

My kid's coach was a 3-time Olympian too, and he is palms on ground or past it. But he was not a distance runner.

Telling us what he is rather than what he is not would be more relevant.

The most relevant thing is that the coach is not a runner. That makes Karma's post almost completely irrelevant.

Karma Police wrote:

fisky wrote:

We were talking about stretching after a workout and my coach, a three time Olympian, tried to touch his toes. He got less than halfway down his shins.

My kid's coach was a 3-time Olympian too, and he is palms on ground or past it. But he was not a distance runner.

Meaning...you are a 3-time Olympian?

Static PRIOR to exercise is a waste of time and increases injury risk.

Dynamic before should be done to improve range of motion and improve brain/muscle communication.

Here is what I do:

-Butt kicks (2 sets of 20 sec)

-High Knees (2 sets of 20 sec)

Jumping jacks (20 sec each))

Leg swings sideways

Leg swing straight leg

Downward dog and little pushes off toes

Hack sack

Back twists

Arm swings

Balance on leg and kick back

Then workout. Then I DO yoga AFTER.

no, not really wrote:

Big Mac Please wrote:

Telling us what he is rather than what he is not would be more relevant.

The most relevant thing is that the coach is not a runner. That makes Karma's post almost completely irrelevant.

He said "he was not a distance runner". He could be a sprinter or mid-distance.

1. Static stretching before exercise does not increase risk of injury, it decreases power input and is useless for most.

2. As far as how much is important the most important thing is to have symmetry between the right and left sides of the body.

3. There is a certain amount of range of motion around each joint that is normal and recommended to stay healthy.

4. I know many ex athletes who are in pain and out of shape because of lack of flexibility.

5. Hypermobility can be much worse for many athletes as it compromises stability

Bro if you can't touch the ground with your palms enjoy being a hobby yogger your whole life.

Agree with everything but number 1. Static stretching prior to exercise does increase the risk of injury because of exactly the second part of your sentence. Perhaps not directly...but indirectly. I believe that NY times article confirmed that in the military study!! But I agree with the symmetry.