Jim Silva: It’s time to stretch – or is it?

To stretch or not to stretch?

That’s been a big question over the past six years that I’ve been running.

When I began playing soccer as a kid in the 1970s, stretching was a given. Before you did any running, kicking or playing, you stretched. And by stretching, it was what is now called static stretching, where you hold a position that stretches your muscles for 10-20 seconds at a time.

It seems to make sense, right? Before you do any moving around, you have to get your muscles ready. But is static stretching the best way to do it?

It wasn’t until the 1990s that I began hearing that static stretching not only didn’t work but could be detrimental to your muscles and fitness.

There are plenty of studies online that say you should avoid static stretching. But it’s hard to break old habits and it seems that it may have cost me some trouble recently.

Before running a few weeks ago, I was in a hurry. I jumped out of bed, laced up my shoes and did some static stretching before hitting the streets.

I didn’t do any kind of moving around or warmup before stretching and it seemed to have a negative effect on my knee and quadriceps. I’ve been a little sore ever since.

Was it the stretching? The lack of warmup? Something I did during my run?

I can’t be sure.

But since then I’ve been reading up on the best way to warm up before a run and it seems static stretching on cold muscles isn’t the way to go.

Instead, I’m working on a new routine where I do some walking and some light jogging – getting the blood flowing and my muscles and joints working – before beginning strenuous movement.

Then I do a little bit of static stretching – like I said, old habits are hard to break – before beginning my run.

Most experts say the best time to improve your flexibility and range of movement is after your workout, so I’m trying to make a habit of stretching after my runs.

Flexibility is something I’ve been wanted to improve over the past year or so, but I still have a way to go.

Improving my warmup and after-run routines should help me make gains in that area. And I hope it will help me fight off the kind of recent soreness I’ve been suffering, too.

Do you have a warmup routine you like? Send me an email at jsilva@modbee.com and maybe I can share it in a future column.

Ultramarathoner sets record on run

You won’t see him on SportsCenter or the ESPYs, but Scott Jurek is one incredible athlete. If you’ve never heard of him, you need to begin reading up.

Jurek was one of the main characters in the book (and soon-to-be movie) “Born To Run.”

On July 12, Jurek completed the Appalachian Trail thru-hike in a record 46 days, 8 hours, and 7 minutes.

According to a Runners World article, Jurek traveled 2,189 miles and crossed through 14 states. He averaged 47.2 miles PER DAY.

Reading this reminds you of what the human body and spirit is capable of. And it makes it harder to complain when you’re too tired to exercise.

Modesto Marathon Adult Training Group

Have you considered running or walking the Modesto Marathon? Or maybe the half-marathon? Training with a group is a great way to do it. You can tap into the expertise and the experiences of others and have fun while doing it.

The Modesto Marathon Adult Training Group will help you prepare for the 2016 Modesto Marathon, half-marathon or 5K races. You will get a 24-week training program, motivational emails, training shirt, certified coaching and much more. It’s also a great way to meet people, have fun and be inspired.

The group is having informational meetings on Sept. 23 at 6:30 p.m., Oct. 3 at 8 a.m. and Oct. 12 at 6:30 p.m. at Fleet Feet in Modesto, 1427 Standiford Ave.

I recommend you check it out.

This story was originally published July 20, 2015 at 11:32 AM with the headline "Jim Silva: It’s time to stretch – or is it?."