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Stretching and lifting

Mon, 02/01/2010 - 11:17pm — Kid Icarus

I doubt this has been discussed before. Also, no bugs or hammers were involved, so please stay focused.

I have terrible RLS (restless leg syndrome) and often times the only thing that will make the sensations stop is really hard stretching. I have to keep stretching or the feelings drive me up the wall... after a 20 to 30 minute session the feeling finally subsides, but I notice that I can damn near do the splits now...

I remember reading how there's a relationship between flexibility and stability, and how tightness for a lifter is actually a good thing (to an extent). We also dont see many lifters who can do the splits... is excessive flexibility caused by this going to hurt my lifts later on? And by how much?

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Tue, 02/02/2010 - 12:50am — Mutsanah

RLS is sometimes from a

RLS is sometimes from a severe calcium deficiency or lack of proper absorption or both. You can try Calcium Citrate with a chelated Magnesium 10 mins. before a meal, empty stomach, then eat your meal, make sure you digest meal well, enzymes if needed, apple cider vinegar 30/60 mins after helps too. Some are taking calcium but not absorbing it because stomach acid not high enough and it just goes right out the poop shoot...

Sun, 02/07/2010 - 11:38pm — The 9th Time

I struggle a bit with

I struggle a bit with restless leg. I'm curious if it's really stretching that helps you or the fact that it's vigorous activity. You said that you were stretching hard. Is it physically demanding? I have noticed that I always feel good with regards to RLS after hard leg training.

In my experience, unless you are so hyper-mobile that you could pull your leg out-of-socket like a fried chicken's, then you will not have trouble with excessive flexibility. Unless you purposely training in an extreme ROM under load, the likelihood of being too loose is low.

Tue, 02/09/2010 - 11:40pm — Kid Icarus

Ok thanks... Actually I

Ok thanks...

Actually I think my RLS is genetic in nature. My diet is PACKED with vitamin filled foods... pumkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, spinach, broccoli, Romanian lettuce, cauliflower, chicken breast, etc. I'm pretty sure I'm not lacking anything.

And it comes and goes. One or two weeks I'll be fine and almost forget that I've got it at all. Then I get an extreme attack and the feelings are unbearable, and the only thing that helps is some extreme stretching. Hard walking / marching helps, but as soon as the walking stops the feelings are back. I walked once for 3 hours at a fast pace trying to ditch the RLS, and had to stop from a pulled hamstring. (My bodyfat measurements were noticeable the next day)

But alright, I guess I wont be worried about the stretching affecting my squat now.

Mon, 02/15/2010 - 12:41am — Mutsanah

Kid - keep a food diary so

Kid - keep a food diary so that you can track when RLS hits, look for commonalities in the attacks. What is your age? Remember, stomach acid decreases with age starting at 35 and even more at 40, depends on genetics, diet, stress, etc.
Your diet may be packed with good foods, but how much are you assimilating? That really is the question.