Minimalist stretching cluster

[H.C.]

So coming from a gymnastics background in my teens, we would do these stretches with long durations:

Pike
Front Splits
Side Splits
Bridge

No "assistance exercises", smaller stretches to stretch hamstring, glutes, hip flexors blah blah blah...

Fast forward to various times in my life, i do static stretching on and off, but these were my "main lifts", when i did not know about "assistance exercises". When i got the grasp of assistance exercises in lifting, i also started to experiment with assistance stretches, to get into the main stretches easier, or so i thought.

Today, i did just the main stretches. Not too bad, did not lose range of motion compared to warming up with a dozen assistance stretches before the main stretches.

Which got me thinking, do we really "need" assistance exercises for stretching? I am not that tight considering my background. I got my first splits without assistance stretches. Lost the full ROM various times in my life when i slack, but i can easily train to get it back in a few weeks if i put my effort into it. But how about people who do not have a flexibility background? What is your experience?

And then, a quick search online and i found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2bjdobymzA

[DeskJockey]

I read this article:

https://www.painscience.com/articles/stretching.php

and I have been wondering if stretching is even necessary at all.

[Hellequin]

So coming from a gymnastics background in my teens, we would do these stretches with long durations:

Pike
Front Splits
Side Splits
Bridge

No "assistance exercises", smaller stretches to stretch hamstring, glutes, hip flexors blah blah blah...

Fast forward to various times in my life, i do static stretching on and off, but these were my "main lifts", when i did not know about "assistance exercises". When i got the grasp of assistance exercises in lifting, i also started to experiment with assistance stretches, to get into the main stretches easier, or so i thought.

Today, i did just the main stretches. Not too bad, did not lose range of motion compared to warming up with a dozen assistance stretches before the main stretches.

Which got me thinking, do we really "need" assistance exercises for stretching? I am not that tight considering my background. I got my first splits without assistance stretches. Lost the full ROM various times in my life when i slack, but i can easily train to get it back in a few weeks if i put my effort into it. But how about people who do not have a flexibility background? What is your experience?

And then, a quick search online and i found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2bjdobymzA

I know it‘s a huge marketing thing, but check out hyperbolic stretching.

There are several short routines for all of those 4 main stretches. I bought it for about 27 USD and I am doing some of those stretches every day. Its about 8 minutes per day and I just feel good after it.

Otherwise consider buying Pavel‘s Relax into Stretch.

Next thing I recommend: The knees over toes guy. Its about strengthening and stretching the lower body. Highly recommended.

And yes, there is some evidence, that stretching does not have too much benefits in studies. For me it does. I am doing it almost every day.

[silveraw]

I've kind of settled on using this as a minimal cluster
Pry the pump stretch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6kiEnov8Gc
QL Straddle
90/90 stretch

If I don't do this I notice I'll get a tight back after a week of missed sessions. When done consistently I just feel and move better all around. And when I try to add in more stretches I find I stretch less due to skipping more sessions after workouts.

Every few months I'll do a more intense focus 3x a week. Mainly stuff out of Jon Engum's Flexible Steel book like his tactical frog sequence or Escape your Fighting Stance program. They are basically 4 week programs that focus on improving mobility and flexibility that I tack on at the end of a workout. Honestly I'm not sure if the infrequency of me doing this negates any long term benefits of doing them. But I do feel pretty great after a program is done.

That said, I'm not flexible at all. I'm not going to be doing a full split anytime soon. Doing the above just keeps me moving and feeling good which is my goal.