Questions regarding Stretches. Overtraining/Undertraining?

[Trance4102]

I got back from a week off due to an injury. It could have been because I have overstretched myself and now I'm already begining to see that overtraining habit kicking in again. I honestly think that it's mainly because I feel that I'm not doing enough. That voice in my head telling me that "more is better" keeps coming back. Per exercise I do about 25 - 30 reps of stretches @ 30 sec each. Is this overtraining? Below I have some questions that I need to have answered so that to assure me that I am overtraining or undertraining and how I should go about with my exercises in the future. Alright guys... Here are my questions.

1. How many reps of stretches should be done per exercise? How many reps is considered too much?

2. If I increase the number of seconds of the stretch should I decrease the number of reps? For example..... Instead of doing 25 Long Shlong Heli's @ 30 seconds each should I do only 15 @ 30 seconds or if I am going to do 25 should I do them @ 20 sec. each?

If I increase the duration of the stretch and keep the number of reps the same then the exercise would take a lot longer to complete which I feel would cause me to overtrain. I don't know if thats what you guys mean by "increase the intensity of the routine".

3. How should the intensity of stretches be increased?

4. Are pops an indication that I am overdoing myself? I had several of them and they scare the hell out of me!

Those are all the questions that I have in mind at the moment. Thanks for the help. :o

[Trance4102]

Oh and another thing.... It takes me about 20 min. to do 15 reps of Long Shlong Heli's @ 30 seconds each. Is that normal or am I too slow on the stretches?

[turtle]

Lig pops are a little scary but they are not a sign that you have screwed up. Most people think they are a good sign. I really wouldn't know since I have never had one. From your post I have feeling that you are way over doing the Heli's. You keep saying that you are doing 30 second stretches, but then you talk about total time in the exercise way in excess of that. A 30 second stretch should be 10 sec. straight out, 10 sec. up, and 10 sec. around(heli). I'm guessing that you were doing 30 seconds for each of those. If that's what your doing that's to much. I think that 10 to 20 reps per exercise is plenty, and I tend to max my reps @ 30 seconds each. If you limit your stretches to 30 seconds then when you want to change just increase the number of reps. Are longer stretches better? I don't think so. I think the first part of the stretch is the most intense and then you just try to maintain. I think that more reps at set length is more productive.
turtle