quote:Laxity from stretching is a negative not a positive! A loose shoulder capsule is to be avoided, not produced from stretching, it has been established by the Center for disease Control that stretching is bad for you and especially the over exaggerated baseball stretches. If you stretch before competition you loose 6% of your ability to perform. Drop the stretching.
http://www.drmikemarshall.com/...sMuscleInjuries.html
I've read the CDC study and it's limited in scope, been contradicted by other sources and just doesn't ring correct in my experiences. True, stretching to warm-up is harmful. Stretching is done after warm-ups when ballistic movements are very beneficial (precisely why dancers, gymnists and martial artists rely on them). Flexibility IS AN intregral part of athleticism. No, stetching doesn't in itself, doesn't prevent injury. It does improve "range of motion" dramatically and that can only help in quick, explosive movements like exploding on the baseball. I'm 60 and haven't had a lower back ache or problem in the forty years I've been stretching regularly. Yes, stretching before stenuous exercise CAN lead to injury. Most things in life require a good balance, fitness is no different.