No Time To Stretch? This Saves Time & Delivers Better Results!

A client asked me last week, "What do you think about these stretching places that are opening up?"

I said, "Well, some people think stretching feels good. There's nothing wrong with that. But....."

Here's what the research says....

"The argument that some athletes feel better when stretching is misleading, as the subjective sensation of feeling better may not translate into objective measurable improvements."

I had to admit after 20 years of prescribing stretches to clients, no stretches ever "fixed" their lack of mobility.

There's a new study​

A new randomized controlled trial found that resistance training improves flexibility just as effectively as static stretching--while simultaneously building strength.

In the study, people who performed strength exercises through a full range of motion gained just as much mobility as those doing traditional stretchingwithout sacrificing strength gains.

This is consistent with a 2021 meta-analysis showing that resistance training enhances flexibility across different muscle groups and movement patterns.

We've known for over 30 years that static stretching done before an activity impedes performance-- strength, power, speed, and balance.

It's been suggested that "any possible benefits of stretching, such as improvements in flexibility, balance, cardiovascular measures, alleviation of pain, and decreased injury incidence among others can either be provided by other training modalities (e.g., resistance training) or stretching is not the most effective activity to provide such benefits (e.g., decreased injury incidence)."

Here's why resistance training works

Strength training lengthens and strengthens muscles simultaneously, improving joint mobility while reinforcing stability.

In contrast, passive stretching increases range of motion without adding the muscular support required to maintain it.

The tight muscles just bounce right back.

The study authors recommend using large range of motion resistance training to improve hip and lower back extensor flexibility and muscle strength.

That means multi-joint functional strength training, as opposed to the kind of isolated muscle training that bodybuilders use.

The mobility exercises we prescribe might "feel" like stretching but you're activating your weaker, inhibited muscles to more effectively oppose the stronger "tighter" ones.

The icing on the cake--it saves you time!

When clients tell us, "I never stretch..." it's because they don't have time or don't want to make time for stretching.

You can improve your joint range of motion AND get stronger at the same time!

Strength training has been called "The Fountain Of Youth."

You also might say, "Strength Training Is the New Stretching!"