Front/Side split

[Kante]

According to Thomas Kurz, the only time you should stretch before activites is when you need your full range of motion for the activity (like martial arts, kicks in particular). For this, you should do dynamic stretches (not the strech & hold thing, which he generally disdains anyway).

For all other activities (like lifting, running, cycling), you should warm up before the activity, but not stretch. Stretching before an activity weakens the muscles, leading to increased risk of injury. The time to stretch is after an activity, when your muscles are warm.

I would expect that the original poster was able to do the split because he (or she) was already warmed up & therefore more flexible than normal. The reason he hurt the next day is because he injured the muscles stretching them too much.

The best stretches to increase your range of motion are "isometric stretches." These involve tensing & relaxing the muscles being stretched, and work wonderfully, but are quite difficult to do (at least for me).

Well sadly I've only found out about Thomas Kurz and started reading his columns way after that incident.

I'd love to get a hold of his dvd but I don't really see that happening.

[bushido_man96]

Stretching before an activity weakens the muscles, leading to increased risk of injury.

I had heard someone in the gym the other day actually stating the above fact. I wondered about it, but I guess it makes sense.

[ninjanurse]

I agree here. I never stretch before a run! But I do stretch lightly before kicking. To increase my flexibility I use stretching sessions where all I do is warm up and stretch-no kicking, etc.