Stretch when?

The right time for the stretching program is on the days off, regardless of the sport specific training. Stretching exercises should be carried out as an isolated training unit, except in the gymnastics and gymnastics disciplines. Before the sport-specific training no intensive muscle stretching program should be carried out for warming up, it is recommended to do light endurance exercises, warming up, mobilization and loosening exercises.

The musculature is better supplied with blood, joints are “lubricated” and the heart and circulation system are stimulated. After briefly checking the stretch sensitivity of the muscle groups required for the sport, the warming up of these special muscle groups can be intensified if the stretch sensitivity is still very high. Submaximal stretching before the gymnastics/dance or gymnastics disciplines!

After an intensive warm-up program, only submaximal stretching should be done. Submaximal means that a stretching sensation is noticeable but well tolerable. Maximum stretching for the gymnastics and gymnastics disciplines as an independent training unit!

The improvement of the stretching ability in the hip, leg and shoulder muscles should be carried out as an independent training independent of the gymnastic exercise units with maximum intensity on the sports-specific training-free days. Maximum means that the stretching is continued until the greatest possible tolerable stretching feeling is achieved. The maximum stretching is superior to the submaximal stretching in its effect.

No stretching before or after strength training! In strength and/or speed disciplines (sprint, jumping disciplines), intensive stretching after the warm-up phase directly before the sports-specific training or competition even has a negative effect on performance and causes an increased risk of injury. Stretching exercises after strength training should only be performed after a waiting period of at least 1 hour or on a day off, independent of the sport-specific training.

Immediate measures after strength training: No stretching after endurance training! After endurance training, no further mechanical stimulus should be applied to the already endurance-stressed muscle fibres by stretching. This would result in an increase in muscle soreness and would further delay muscle regeneration.

It would make more sense to carry out an intensive stretching programme on a day without training, especially for the leg and hip muscles, as these tend to shorten in the long run due to endurance training when running. Immediate measures after endurance training:

Drink a lot
Especially mineral and vitamin supply
Leakage and loosening
Sauna
Massages or
Relaxation exercises after the sports load. – a lot of drinking
Especially mineral and vitamin supply
Leakage and loosening
Sauna
Massages or
Relaxation exercises after the sports load.

When not stretching?

The “metabolic products” (e.g. lactic acid) in the muscle must be removed again. This would rather be prevented by intensive, especially static stretching, because when stretching during the exercise a compression is exerted on the vessels. Hypermobility in the stretching area After acute muscle or bone injuries Unstable wound conditions Tumours Inflammatory muscle diseases Pain Pain Painful damage to nerve structures When stretching, the nerve tissue is compressed and stretched to its full length.

The protective tension of the musculature, which protects the nerves, is reduced by stretching. Example: in the case of acute irritation of the sciatic nerve, stretching of the rear leg muscles is contraindicated. – Immediately after high sporting stress

For hypermobility in the strain range
After acute muscle or bone injuries
For unstable wound conditions
For tumors
For inflammatory muscle diseases
For pain
For painful damage to nerve structures