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The most inflexible runner ever wins again! |
The last time I actually stretched was in
1980. And by no means do I figure I'm better off or recommend it to anyone. I just despise stretching and always have. When I used to watch
Alberto Salazar beating all the flexible runners in every race, I figured something was amiss. And scientific literature has been accumulating over the years that stretching:
- Provides no benefit in the prevention of injuries.
- Provides no benefit in the performance of athletes.
There has actually been strong scientific proof that weightlifters lose
5% of their strength if they stretch prior to lifting. This applies to other strength activities like
starting from starting blocks or
suddenly accelerating in a race. Rather than cite the actual scientific literature on the subject, Ill just post a pro and con fluffy article from the recent
common man literature.
This loss of flexibility is a natural adaptation to training that makes
you more economical. It may seem like a negative effect, but it’s
actually a positive one, and you don’t want to interfere with it by
doing too much stretching.
I don't think Greg Fredericks did much stretching, and he fared pretty well.
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