over stretching problem

Hi all have a quick question. is it possible to over strectch a certin muscle group say the hamstrings. would like to be able to do the spits and have good flexibility in the leg. At the moment i am doing about 1 hour per day total to make up 4 to 5 times per day. on hamstring stretching. Is this to much

Thanks in advance

Male gymnastics stretch for a minimum of 1 hour 5 x a week. They are the some of the best power to weight athletes alive. What your doing will only be detrimental to performance if you do intense static stretching immediately before training. Stretch away

Two main culprits of long term injury is a result of either over stretching and impact.

Both can be minimized by a good bodybiulding routine.

Gymnast levels of flexibility can have unwanted effects later on in life. I was capable of full side splits right up to the age of 30, and I pay for it now with clicking and grinding hip joints. The joints are hypermobile and unstable even though the surrounding muscles are not that flexible anymore.

overstretching can make the joints loose later in life? I never knew that..
Question is, at what point does stretching become overstretching?

You really only need enough flexibility to get by without issues in your sport and life anymore can cause issues now and later in life.

overstretching can definitely be a problem

if you take a joint beyond its stretching capacities you run the risk of micro trauma to the muscles themselves, or even lengthening (or even tearing) of the tendons at the joint you're stretching

with that said, compared to PNF & balistic stretching, static stretching is much safer provided you don't overstretch

cliffs: stretch. don't overstretch.

Jungman said:

overstretching can make the joints loose later in life? I never knew that..
Question is, at what point does stretching become overstretching?

Click to expand...

Yep. Extreme range of motion exercises have a tendency to stretch ligaments. Ligaments are not meant to be stretched.

A weak or damaged muscle will limit its ROM as a protective measure.

A strong muscle will protect the joint through its full range of motion, even when over stretched.

What is over stretched?
Over stretched is the point where the muscle is incapable of maintaining joint integrity.

Properly performed exercise places the worked muscle in the path of most resistance.
Stretching a muscle past the intended rom is not good for tendon and ligament health and will not improve strength of the muscle.

Placing a muscle under load via a barbell, machine (resistance) and repition however is different.