MommaBear started this discussion ·
I feel like I have made a realization here. I started properly stretching this week and holy cow am I way more sore! Does that make sense? If so, why is that? I actually enjoy this new sensation of feeling sore, it makes me feel like I am working harder 😀 Also, I feel like it is a good thing because my muscles must be getting a better work out, right?
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Yeah definitely. I stretch a lot even when I don't pole and it gives me horrible sore legs for days. I once read that when you stretch your muscles flex and it's the most effective if you can stay in the stretching position until the trembling subsides and the muscle just suddenly relaxes, that's how you can extend it further. So you're basically working out even when you stretch, which explains the sore legs 🙂 But as you say it's the right kind of sore, I love to feel that I've done something 🙂
i also often have strong sore legs after streching for days. sometimes it`s so intense, i have the feeling that my streching-progress fall instead of get better 🙁 this sunday i will have a stretch & flexibility workshop with Alesia Vazmitsel in zürich - happy happy 🙂 will ask her about it
You should not be sore after stretching. 😨 If you are here are a few of the most common things that could cause soreness. Not warming up sufficiently or stretching to far...either of these can cause muscle tissue to tear. If you danced hard that same day or the day before it can be lactic aid built up.... Drinking plenty of water will help and try some massage. Always warm up and I mean really well, before working on Flexibility and never push to the point of pain. Discomfort is fine but not pain. 😀
Veena, isn't stretching supposed to hurt? I can't imagine getting results if I wasn't pushing it to the point of pain, it's still going so slow even though itreally hurts sometimes.
If your pushing to the point of pain then you will have slow progress for sure. Pain can = muscle tears this is something that will slow progress. Stretching and Flexibility training are different. Let me clarify... For both you need to be warmed up ALWAYS. Stretching should be comfortable, its purpose is to MAINTAIN the R.O.M you already have. Its important to do after a workout to "remind" the muscle to relax back into their original state. So after poling for instance if you only have time to stretch only one muscle group stretch the hands, forearms and shoulders. These tend to be the most heavily used. After running stretching the Quads, hamstrings and calves are important you get the idea 💡 . Really you should try to make time to GENTLY stretch each muscle group after exercise for a happy body. 🥂 Stretching should NEVER be painful. Flexibility training is focusing on INCREASING your flexibility. This requires more time. You may feel discomfort but PAIN (as in OMG why am I doing this?) means you have pushed too far. As I said before you may also have pain and soreness after, if your not warmed up properly or if you have exercised hard that same day. If you can't take a full breath while in the position then your probably pushing too hard. Pushing too far may actually cause your flexibility to decrease. You can't expect overnight results when working on Flexibility. Some will see a change faster than others. 🧿
Veena, Do you know what the verdict is on whether stretching and warming-up will actually give you a better work-out? Meaning, if I just hopped on the pole and danced for an hour, would my muscles receive LESS of a work-out than they would have if I stretched and warmed-up previous to hopping on the pole and dancing for an hour? Or is the stretching and the warm-up not necessarily for giving your muscles a better work-out, but more for preventing injury?
There are a few theories on warming up before weight training. Just like there are tons of theories on how long to hold a stretch! You body will respond best to whatever exercise your asking it to do if you move into it slowly with a warm up. When I was lifting I didn't do a cardio warm up....I simply chose light weights for my first set to gently "wake up" the muscles. If I was cold and the gym was freezing then I would walk to warm up. I feel the best reason for warming up ( I don't do any stretching before poling the warm up I use has some gentle stretching that occurs do to the nature of the movement ). Anyway the best reason for warming up is INJURY PREVENTION!!!! Warming up before exercise can also prevent some muscle soreness. 🥂
