To stretch or not to stretch?...between sets that is

[tonymctones]

Ok so while debating another topic I read some articles that said that stretching the muscles that are being worked prior or between sets can actually limit the amount of weight you can use.

one article in particular advocated stretching antagonist muscles like rear delts and back if doing bench presses for example...

Ive always been one to stretch between sets especially on the big exercises like squats, bench, deads etc...

any thoughts?

[Montague]

A lot of people who advise against stretching pre-workout also recommend light warm up sets in lieu of stretching.
IMO, performing light warm-up sets is a form of stretching - at least as far as those muscles will stretch during the forthcoming exercises.

Also in my opinion, unless you’re at a PL meet, there’s not much need to be concerned with total poundages lifted.
Reaching failure (or whatever) is relative.

Your muscles don’t know the difference between 250 and 260lbs - they only know how hard they’re working.
Think of stretching as increased resistance without added weight.

So long as you're using a weight that enables you to reach the end of your set at your desired number of reps, I don’t think it matters if you’ve lost a little of your maximum strength output from stretching beforehand.

[Montague]

Oh, and I personally have never found any benefit to stretching between working sets.
Whether stretching prior, or performing warm-up sets, by the time I get into my work sets, I’m as limber as I’m going to get.

I mean, if I performed an additional 30-minutes of solid stretching, I may get a little looser, but an extra 10 seconds between sets by that point in my workout will yield negligible (at best) benefit.

[dyslexic]

I stretch all the time.. whether I'm working out or not. It helps keep blood in the muscles, which in turn keeps the capillaries growing and the nutrients flowing.

I also stretch between each set to tug at the limiting fascia that surrounds the muscle. Without the fascia, the muscles would pop like rubber-bands. The muscle fascia is like leather.

Logic tells me that stretching it, especially when the muscles are full of blood (pumped) that the muscles will be more likely to grow due to the insane push against the wall from the inside.

As far as flexibility is concerned, I have always been extremely genetically flexible. Not worried about that yet...

As far as stretching "limiting" the weight you lift-- I suppose you could use the same theory on "pre-exhaust' techniques, which I know a lot of folks here like to use.

Give it a try... see whatchu thinkses. My muscles get stubborn. I gotta stretch em to get em pumped the way I like em'

[Get Rowdy]

Before benching I like to do some light sets of squats to get some stretch through my chest.

Use to stretch somewhat between sets but don't anymore.  Still stretch most muscles after training though.

Another option for some muscles is massaging them hard between sets.  Works well for biceps, triceps, forearms, and calves.

[tonymctones]

A lot of people who advise against stretching pre-workout also recommend light warm up sets in lieu of stretching.
IMO, performing light warm-up sets is a form of stretching - at least as far as those muscles will stretch during the forthcoming exercises.

Also in my opinion, unless you’re at a PL meet, there’s not much need to be concerned with total poundages lifted.
Reaching failure (or whatever) is relative.

Your muscles don’t know the difference between 250 and 260lbs - they only know how hard they’re working.
Think of stretching as increased resistance without added weight.

So long as you're using a weight that enables you to reach the end of your set at your desired number of reps, I don’t think it matters if you’ve lost a little of your maximum strength output from stretching beforehand.

I agree that the weight used either way would be insignificant youre not going to see a 20lb increase by just not stretching between sets...

I also agree that thei weight isnt important but it is a way that I judge my progress either through weight used or reps achieved so if I could increase my weight by 5 lbs I would be happy 

[tonymctones]

I stretch all the time.. whether I'm working out or not. It helps keep blood in the muscles, which in turn keeps the capillaries growing and the nutrients flowing.

I also stretch between each set to tug at the limiting fascia that surrounds the muscle. Without the fascia, the muscles would pop like rubber-bands. The muscle fascia is like leather.

Logic tells me that stretching it, especially when the muscles are full of blood (pumped) that the muscles will be more likely to grow due to the insane push against the wall from the inside.

As far as flexibility is concerned, I have always been extremely genetically flexible. Not worried about that yet...

As far as stretching "limiting" the weight you lift-- I suppose you could use the same theory on "pre-exhaust' techniques, which I know a lot of folks here like to use.

Give it a try... see whatchu thinkses. My muscles get stubborn. I gotta stretch em to get em pumped the way I like em'

I have always been a person to stretch between sets especially during chest i do inclines first and I have tender shoulders so I make sure to stretch my chest and shoulders between sets.

I made a point not to stretch yesterday between sets and while me weight was about the same believe it or not I seemed to get a huge pump from it a lot more than normal.

[_bruce_]

I stretch after every exercise for about 5 minutes.
Added daily stretching of about 30 - 45 minutes and after a few days my squat technique has improved - hip flexibility was not up to par.

[tonymctones]

I stretch after every exercise for about 5 minutes.
Added daily stretching of about 30 - 45 minutes and after a few days my squat technique has improved - hip flexibility was not up to par.

what kind of stretches do you do bruce?

I have lower back and some hip pain from time to time and I think its because of being to tight at least the lower back pain.

[_bruce_]

Between exercise I do DC stretches -

http://theswole.com/swole/training/key-concepts/dc-stretches/

-in my experience the tricep stretches with a heavy dumbell are overkill... especially for the joints.

For shoulders I do additional stretches which are impossible to explain without pictures -> though they are intense in the side and rear delts.

After the workout and on off days I do these...

I can't do the last one to full extent yet... just do them as wide as you can - the forward lean is more important in these.