What would happen if you didnt stretch after every run

So what about the lactic acid build up? How would you deal with that then? Cool downs?

Bumpin

It took me about 20 years of running to finally figure out that stretching causes a lot more injuries than it prevents. I don't stretch at all unless something feels like it particularly needs stretching, and then only very carefully.

I stretch very poorly; however, I do alot of self massaging. I massage my shins/calfs, use a rubber ball to massage my feet(i have really bad feet), and seldom use the foam roller for anything else. The only stretch i do is sit in a chair put one leg over the other and pull in my knee to my chest, the other stretch I do is for IT band. Most of my miles are easy running followed by some strides. Only do a tempo/lactate, one speed, one LSD or long progression, the rest is slow running. My stretch routine is probably no more than 10 minutes altogether. I never stretch before a run. I just warm up at a slow pace for a mile and decide if i want to run at an easy pace or recovery jog.

Island wrote:

So what about the lactic acid build up? How would you deal with that then? Cool downs?

You got it.

I haven't stretched in 25 years. It makes no difference. Routinely moving in a full range of motion and varying pace is what preserves mobility.

The fact that you thought stretching and lactic acid dispersal are related paints you as a noob of all noobs.

Some slow noob wrote:

the other stretch I do is for IT band.

You can't stretch the IT band, moran.

wut wrote:

I haven't stretched in at least 3 years and I haven't had any sort of injury in 3 years. As long as you give your muscles ample time to warm up/warm down you will be fine. Just make sure you run with a proper gait (the key to being injury free).

Your use of the word "warm down" automatically makes your opinion invalid.

If I didn't stretch after each run, there's no way I would be 8'3 today.

Stretching is very important. It gets rid of all lactic acid, if you didnt stretch everyday you'll get tighter and tighter.

Arnold Horseshit wrote:

If I didn't stretch after each run, there's no way I would be 8" today.

I'm at 11 inches now.

Island wrote:

So what about the lactic acid build up? How would you deal with that then? Cool downs?

Lactic acid doesn't pool up in your muscles and stay there after a run. That soreness you are feeling are micro-tears in your muscle fiber. Lactic acid works itself out of your body fairly quickly.

I've been a runner for 30 years. I have never stretched. Ever. I have never been injured. Ever.

This proves... ?

Island wrote:

How bad will it get when you dont stretch everyday after a run? Someone you know ever do this? What was their outcome?

I don't like to stretch because I'm too lazy but it hasn't hurt me either. I wouldn't recommend it, not everyone is made equal. Please listen to the experts!

olden sloh wrote:

I've been a runner for 30 years. I have never stretched. Ever. I have never been injured. Ever.

This proves... ?

OP and a couple of other guys are morans.

Perhaps you can get away with not stretching if you are a young long distance runner. I can't imagine a sprinter or MD runner not stretching or someone in their late 20s or older. As a former athlete and coach at various levels, I've never met anyone who didn't benefit from stretching.

TrackCoach wrote:

Perhaps you can get away with not stretching if you are a young long distance runner. I can't imagine a sprinter or MD runner not stretching or someone in their late 20s or older. As a former athlete and coach at various levels, I've never met anyone who didn't benefit from stretching.

These blanket/global statements are just not accurate. It's not a black and white/cookie-cutter issue.

That being said, certain types of stretching probably have a beneficial role in some capacity for most distance runners, but not necessarily all. By the way, "stretching" is a pretty non-descript term. Are we talking about strictly static stretching? Dynamic stretching? Mobilizations? Massage/foam roll? ART?

Personally, I just do some dynamic stretching after my runs for about 2 minutes (leg swings in frontal and sagital planes) and I haven't seen any relationship to increased injury since I started. I'm not sure if it has any benefit, but it feels pretty good while I'm doing it.

Also, targeted stretching for "problem areas" of reduced range of motion, if noted in certain individuals (reduced hip extension, for example, is not uncommon) is advocated by many experts in the field of injury prevention.

Hairtoday wrote:

When you don't stretch after runs, gradually your stride contracts until your feet virtually scrape the ground on each stride. You become an old man.

That's EXACTLY what happened to me over the last 57 years!