stretching

How much does stretching help your overall health?  I work out with weights and cardio three times a week but I'm not very flexible.  Any thoughts?

Stretching helps with your range of motion.  For me, it's a great way to wind down after a good workout.  I'm not sure abotu the overall health benefits though.

I think after a workout, stretching the muscles you used helps bring blood to the muscles which helps them recover. Helps flush out toxins and all that stuff. And flexibility is not a bad thing, the more flexible and greater range of motion you have, the more effective your workout can be (going deeper on squats, for example) In any case, adding 10 minutes of stretching at the end of a workout wouldn't be a bad thing

My Wife is a personal trainer and what she has told me that stretching helps with your flexibility which helps you avoid injury because you can make the fully range of motion that exercise and sport activity requries more easily.  I avoided it like the plague for a long time because I thought it took too much time, but I have found that it does not have to take that much time and it does help a lot in allowing you to excercise more effectively.  I still have a ways to go in this area though.  There are some stretches that are very hard for me to do.

I practice yoga almost every morning, love it.  I also stretch after cardio and strength training.  Every night before bed I stretch for 10-15 minutes.  I love the feeling it gives me and helps me sleep better!  I have far more flexibility now than ever!

hey soonerderf, i'm often pressed for time and had the same question about stretching a couple months ago.  i did some research, and personally i decided that mobility drills were more of a priority:  they warm you up for the standards lifts, providing some insurance that your form will be right (which will prevent injury and maximize your strength/muscle/endurance gains from whatever program you're doing).  i recommend this t-nation article that features two great mobility complexes; i don't do all of them, but i find that the low lateral lunge and the overhead reverse lunge are really helpful.  also, check out the sots press!  i'd never seen that before.

this other article offers 8 mobility drills for problem areas.  i was doing the rotational squats for a while for improved hip mobility.

i'm not saying stretching is bad!  i'm just sharing the tidbit about mobility.

I find stretching to be a nice cool down and also a great stress reliever.  It's also something that I'll do on days when I don't feel up to working out.  I'll do some yoga and some intense stretching.  Anything that feels that good and lightens my mind must be good.

Forgot to mention that I like to stretch when I'm resting between sets while lifting.  Saves time I think.