Burning & Cramping, Frequency Advocation

[zenwoof]

First off, I'd like to say I've only discovered Kit Laughlin (& ST community) in the past couple weeks, but already a big fan of both the physical practice of the system, and the underlying philosophy. Relieving tension and feeling brand new sensations in the body for the first time, and the parallel awareness cultivation that comes along with that, has been more than motivating to make ST a daily practice, and set me on the path towards an 'erudite' movement lexicon. Additionally, I've found some of the ideas discussed on coffee shop conversations to resonate immediately with me, yet the epiphanies seem to be very fleeting, so to digest I've been re-listening to conversations and with each successive rumination comes a deeper mental understanding - akin to physically arriving at deeper ROM with each successive contraction. Please keep these conversations going!

 

I do have a couple questions:

1. What do you make of 'burning' sensations when stretching? (the burning is enough that I immediately stop when I encounter the burn)
2. What about cramping?
3. When you recommend 2x contraction/strength sessions a week for best results, does that apply only to that muscle, the larger muscle group, or the entire body?

For 2.) example, in L7: Seated Figure Four (Mastering Squat) when doing the contraction, I've found my external rotators can cramp up. My guess is because the muscles are not used to contracting at that particular (end-)ROM, but it's perfectly safe? I recall Dr. Spina explaining cramping as neurological confusion, or the inability of the nervous system to produce the movement you're asking it to, but to fight through it and it will eventually subside.

 

For 3.) example, if the contraction occurs during external rotation of the lower body, can that be done 2 days a week, and contractions involving internal rotation of the lower body can be done two other days of the week in addition? And then perhaps the other 2 days upper body external/internal? So theoretically, you can be doing C-R cycles everyday, but with different exercises/muscles.

[jon.valentine]

Hi dog,

 

When you say 'burning' is it a sharp sensation or more dispersed over the whole area? I have gotten a sensation like a hot needle when stretching before (which I think is just a little nerve entrapment), in my case it was in a cossack lunge and I had it down in the back of the calf. I tend to very slowly explore the sensation seeing what movements increase and decrease it and if possible try to 'floss' the muscle to free it up (if you google 'nerve flossing' you can find a fair few examples to try), when I got it in the calf I slowly tried to point my toes and then pull them towards me and it eventually went away.

 

If it's a more generalised sensation then it's probably a big bit of fascia that's starting to move. If I haven't done the plough pose (lying on back, feet over head) for a while then I get a massive sensation of heat all across my back but that goes away after a while (as long as I make sure to breathe smoothly).

 

I would just take things slow and explore what's happening. 

[Frederik]

Hi Dog,

 

For me cramping is gold, it tells you that you have found something that is either weak and/or unknown and that is definitely worth exploring. One of the most common places to experience cramping when stretching is in the foot, and we all know the state of most people's feet these days!

 

For questions regarding stretching frequency, please go back and read the start here thread! This type of question has been asked a great many times. Short answer: I would not be so pedantic about internal/ external rotation, upper/ lower body split. Yes, you can stretch daily if you feel like it, at the very least you can do limbering or mobilizing daily. If you are only just starting out, find your tightest bits and work on those. Since you already have purchased Mastering the Squat keep working on that consistently for a few months. The best way to make progress is to focus, rather than spreading your energy and focus thin on many different exercises.  

[Kit_L]

dog wrote:

 

 

What do you make of 'burning' sensations when stretching? (the burning is enough that I immediately stop when I encounter the burn)

 

That is how stretching is experienced. If not tolerable, back off! This thing you live in is highly intelligent: listen to it and work with it, not against it. And please read all the threads recommended.

 

 

What about cramping?

 

This has been discussed many times too. Any muscle that is antagonist to the direction you are stretching in can cramp; this is how the body is organised. Stop reading, and point your foot hard: feel how it cramps? The general rule is this: any muscle is liable to cramp when doing work in the contracted end of its ROM. This is exactly what is happening in your external rotators in that stretch. The solution? Same as when your foot cramps: stretch it in the opposite direction. This is not a problem (though it can hurt!).

 

 

When you recommend 2x contraction/strength sessions a week for best results, does that apply only to that muscle, the larger muscle group, or the entire body?

 

These are starting guides, as Fred mentioned. The ideal frequency for me (ideal in the sense of maximum results for time spent) is stretching any part over a 4–day cycle. What yours? No one can tell you; you have to find this out yourself; hence the recommendations above. Some peoples' bodies respond to whole-body workouts; other to working parts. Same question back to you—only by playing with this stuff can you answer that question (whole or parts?). 

 

All this is good; but will not make you more flexible. Go to work (channeling Gordon Gecko today).

[zenwoof]

Thank you all for the responses - I appreciate your time and the last thing I intended for is having you repeat yourselves. I will say though I did read the recommended threads and searched the forums prior to creating this thread; hopefully it will serve as a more direct result for others with similar queries.

 

I am only a couple weeks into this journey - I understand it will take months, and years, of tinkering to learn what works best for me, but it does behoove oneself to learn what has worked best for others, if not solely for the satisfaction of curiosity.

 

Time to explore!