The "Duh" Stretch

Back around 1971 I was unceremoniously introduced to what I would now call the "Duh Stretch."  I was in a martial-arts class sitting on the floor with my legs spread as wide as I could get them.  Every few seconds I would lean forward and attempt to pull myself forward, stretching the groin and hamstring muscles.  An assistant instructor, who thought he knew a lot more than he actually did, came up behind me and without asking if I wanted some help just pushed me down from my upper back.  Well, I did go lower, but I tore a hamstring muscle in the process.
    Ever since then I have considered stretching to be a solitary activity.  I believe in static stretching: you extend a given stretch to the point of your personal limit, then hold that position for roughly 30 seconds.  Holding the stretch for less than 30 seconds may not increase your flexibility over time, while holding the stretch for more than 30 seconds can possibly damage the muscle in question.  So it looks as though the proper length of holding the stretch is about 30 seconds according to all the scientific literature I have been able to find online.
    The next logical question is, "Should I stretch before or after exercise?"  The best answer seems to be the following: do a serious range-of-motion warm-up for at least 5 minutes -- riding a stationary bike if you plan to stretch your legs, for instance -- and then stretch gently.  Then go gently into your martial-arts routine; keep the kicks and punches light at first, and gradually build up intensity.  Finally, do your serious stretching after the full workout, when your body is completely warmed up.  You'll notice two things in this bit of advice: 1. the word gently is key; you score no extra points for injuring yourself by playing Bruce Lee during the warm-up phase.  2.  You need to invest a fair amount of time to stretching each time you train.  How often you train is a function of many things: how old you are; what sort of shape you're in at the time; whether you still work outside the home, and such.  As always, the best answer is do all you can with what you've got.  If you're 60 or 70, your flexibility won't be what it was at age 25.  That's just how it works, folks.  But your flexibility at 60 or 70 can be radically better than that of someone who spends 14 hours a day in front of the television set.  

    Do you know a senior-friendly martial-arts school in your area?  A school that welcomes senior citizens and recognizes their common training limitations?  Let us know about the school, and we'll gladly tell others about it in this blog.