RRC Archives

do you do it? what are your favorite climbing stretches?

Don't stretch before muscle intensive workouts, you will lose muscle performance. Just warm up properly. Stretch when finished.

Climbing requires range of motion. Stretch to get it. When you stretch, you work muscle 1 against muscle 2. When you work muscles they get tired and lose strength. This does not mean that stretching is bad for performance. I think a combo of stretching and warming up is best to optimize performance. Climbing stiff is likely not optimum. This is MHO. I am no expert in this area.

In gymnastics, we warmed up for 30 minutes, stretched for an hour... and THEN got to work. I wish I had the patience to do that now.

However, Andrew is correct. There have been recent studies that suggest explosive movements can be hindered by stretching pre performance. So if you're a boulderer, lot of stretching might make a little bit of a difference. If its noticeable, maybe you should learn some technique.

512OW wrote:If its noticeable, maybe you should learn some technique.

Learning technique takes time. Changing how I stretch makes me think I'm climbing better now.

I find myself stretching my forearms just before starting to climb. I don't really know why; it's just become part of my pre-climb ritual.

I've heard that as you age you should stretch to maintain the flexibility you have and you shouldn't delude yourself that you can gain but only maintain-

Crankmas wrote:I've heard that as you age you should stretch to maintain the flexibility you have and you shouldn't delude yourself that you can gain but only maintain-

don't crush my old man delusions, please!
i am really, really gonna send this year

512OW wrote:There have been recent studies that suggest explosive movements can be hindered by stretching pre performance.

I have read this as well. Something to the effect that it can weaken the muscle for up to an hour after a hard stretch. Consider stretching after climbing, stretch on off days, and/or just stretch lightly as you warm up. I bet it doesn't make a significant difference if you stretch beforehand, and if you like how you feel after stretching then by all means keep doing it.

trog- stretching and sending are two separate things- your future is still yours bro- send away and be sure to spray