Warm up before weight training?

**Bolverk** · Posted On: 9/03/2003 3:52pm

TKDist, the proper way to do a stiff legged deadlift is as follows:

Use a fairly light weight, since the lower back will be heavily involved in this exercise and you do not want to injure you lower back.

Do not keep the knees locked during this exercise, they should be slightly bent to relieve pressure on your lower back.

Slowly bend at the waist untill the bar touches your toes, or the weights are slightly above the floor. Then slowly straighten up. Always, and I mean ALWAYS, do this exercise with slow reps to avoid injury.

This is one of my primary leg exercises. I do it while I stand on a bench or a block of wood so I can get the full range of motion, which is when the bar touches my toes. It is a great exercise if properly done, but can lead to devistating injury if you rush the reps or are not properly warmed up and stretched prior to its execution. Be careful when doing this exercise, but do not eliminate it, for it gives you the awesome hamstrings, aka - Leg Biceps.

Sincerely,

Knowing it is not enough, we must apply.
Willing is not enough, we must do.

The tax laws are written by men with considerable net worth, and with little understanding of what wage-earners must do to make ends meet.

**WTDude** · Posted On: 9/03/2003 4:38pm

Squats are THE leg exercise. Everything else is fairly insignificant in comparison to the gains that can be made with squats.

**FingerorMoon?** · Posted On: 9/03/2003 6:41pm

Bolverk -
the soreness you feel from weights the next day (or the day after) isn't from lactic acid build up.

I couldn't be bothered typing everything out :) so did a quick search and found this website which lays out everything really well

http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/1999/01_99/muscle.htm

**FingerorMoon?** · Posted On: 9/03/2003 6:51pm

WTdude -
the same goes for the deadlift.
Just depends what sort of body type you have.

For those who are unsure, the rule of thumb is:

Those that are solid / thick / heavy = squat

Those that are thin / lanky / long arms and legs = deadlift

**Nihilanthic** · Posted On: 9/03/2003 7:20pm

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Hamstrings/CBStandingLegCurl.html <- how to work the hamstrings and hip flexors at the same time.

I should try that sometime.

&lt;Me&gt; John, what do you know about Zen Buddhism? &lt;John&gt; *smacks me*
&lt;John&gt; I'd have to smack you sometime...

**Bolverk** · Posted On: 9/04/2003 12:03pm

FingerorMoon? and Nihilanthic, thanks for the links and information.

You are correct it seems FingerorMoon?, as I recall, latic acid build up is responsible for the initial fatigue of the muscle, which causes the burning sensation.

I liked some of the advice that was given on how to avoid DOMS. However, except for after the first work out, I have found that lifting after only one day rest helps greatly in reducing the pain also.

I fall into the solid / thick / heavy category myself. I love squats, but I never leave out the stiff leg deadlift. I also like the deadlift, and I have used the old standing leg curls from time to time also.

Sincerely,

Knowing it is not enough, we must apply.
Willing is not enough, we must do.

The tax laws are written by men with considerable net worth, and with little understanding of what wage-earners must do to make ends meet.

**TKDist** · Posted On: 9/04/2003 3:41pm

Thanks for all the info and links.

Nihilanthic - The cable Tsanding Leg Curls sound cool. Definitely going to try that.

Bolverk - still not quite sure how the stiff legged deadlifts work. Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but it seems like the lower back would be doing all the work. There are a few guys from my school that are into weight lifting and there is a full weight room at the school. I'll ask one of them to show me.

WTDude - I thought squats were more of a quad exercise.

lechuza - Why would stretching after you lift make you more prone to tear something?

Another thing, I want to strenthen the hamstrings (mostly to prevent injury) but I'm very concerned with flexibility. I don't want the muscles to get too tight. If I don't stretch after will my flexiblity suffer? or will stretching before be enough to maintain my flexibility?

**WTDude** · Posted On: 9/04/2003 9:47pm

"WTDude - I thought squats were more of a quad exercise"

Read my first post again.

Stretching before you workout will only damage your muscle fibers. Stretch afterward if you want to increase flexibility.

**Bolverk** · Posted On: 9/05/2003 10:53am

TKDist,

The reason the stiff leg deadlift works the hamstrings is because when you do this movement it is similar to stretching the hamstrings like when you bend at the waist and touch your toes. It is an awesome exercise.

As far as squats go, they are the bench press of the legs. They work virtually every leg muscle you have, just like the bench press works nearly the entire upper body.

Sincerely,

Knowing it is not enough, we must apply.
Willing is not enough, we must do.

The tax laws are written by men with considerable net worth, and with little understanding of what wage-earners must do to make ends meet.

**ninjandrew** · Posted On: 9/05/2003 9:11pm

Of course you can hit it cold. But why?? A 5 or 10 min. stretch, run, bike ride, whatever is just plain way better. Imroves performance, efficiency, range of motion, flexibility and recovery. It also lessens chance of injury. A cool down is good to, but not really if your just doing your legs.