Stretch Your Limits

We need a small space where we can take care of our nervous system and restore our tranquility and peace” - Thich Nhat Hanh

How fit are you?

Maybe you can walk four miles in a little over an hour, swim a mile, or hike a challenging mountain peak. You may be able to do 25 perfect pushups, hold a plank for two minutes, or impress your friends by dropping onto your hands and flipping your legs up over your head. Or perhaps you can press a 40 lb weight over your head ten times without arching your back. Given all these various accomplishments, none of them, by themselves, clearly defines what it means to be fit. Rather, fitness can only be defined based on a comparison of three broad categories: cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, and flexibility.

Most of us are familiar with cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength, but we may be surprised that flexibility is a measure of fitness. Most of us associate flexibility with being bendy, like the yogi who wraps his legs around his head or the dancer who drops into a split. Those dramatic representations are reflective of hypermobility, not flexibility, which is much more subtle. It is, however, an important measure of health as it keeps our joints healthy and is essential for living pain-free. Not only does flexibility reduce our chances of being injured when we workout, there are countless everyday movements that require flexibility, from putting on our shoes to reaching for a dish on the top shelf of the kitchen cabinet.

We frequently confuse flexibility with mobility, but they are different. Mobility describes the ability of the joints to move through their range of motion, whereas flexibility specifically refers to the muscle’s ability to lengthen—what we commonly refer to as a “stretch”. Flexibility and mobility work in tandem with each other in determining the efficiency of our movements. Our joints have a specific range of motion which is influenced by the flexibility of the structures surrounding it—muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia. The ability of a joint to move through an adequate, pain-free range of motion is dependent on the length, hydration, and responsiveness of all these structures, especially the muscles. When a muscle is tight or in a chronically shortened state, it limits the mobility of the joint, creating inefficient movement patterns. This sets the stage for injury in the short term, as well as arthritis, bone spurs, or bursitis in the long term.

Just as cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength have numerous health benefits, flexibility has been shown to improve sleep and lower the risk of depression and anxiety. Joint range of motion is critical for balance, speed, and power, which are important skills that reduce the risk of falling, with additional evidence suggesting that flexibility and mobility play an important role in building bone as well as maintaining bone health. And just like we can build our cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength at any age, flexibility can always be improved, provided we are consistent and are willing to be patient.

Given how jam-packed our lives can be, we are more inclined to carve out time for cardio and strength training than for stretching to improve our flexibility. Taking a 25 mile bike ride with friends or completing a challenging weight training session offers a more immediate reward than laying on a mat and holding a stretch for several minutes. In many ways, flexibility is the foundation upon which cardiovascular and muscular strength are built, but it is a skill that requires a good deal of diligence without the benefit of an immediate reward. Whereas we might be able to run an extra mile after six weeks of training or do more lunges at the end of 10 weeks, progress with flexibility is slower and far less dramatic, with only miniscule changes achieved over weeks or months of consistent stretching. Unfortunately, we fail to appreciate the importance of these changes, however small, until nature reminds us with a strained back, torn meniscus, rotator cuff tear, or some other injury.

One of the challenges of developing flexibility is that many of us don’t know how to begin. It is hard to know which muscles to stretch, how to stretch them, and for how long. Plus, there is a good deal of confusion these days about when we should stretch and what types of stretching we should do, not to mention that some studies suggest that stretching is unnecessary. There are a lot of myths about stretching, some of which are perpetuated by uninformed fitness professionals, so let's take some time to explore the science and set the record straight.

Generally, there are many different types of stretching, but most research focuses on three basic types: static, dynamic, and ballistic. Of these three, most of us are familiar with static stretching, which involves positioning a muscle so that it is at the edge of its maximum length, which typically feels uncomfortable but can be held for 30 to 60 seconds. Dynamic stretching involves moving parts of your body rhythmically, gradually increasing the range of motion or speed of movement. Squats, arm circles, lunges, and pushups on a wall are examples of dynamic stretches. Ballistic stretching features bouncing movements that try to force a body part beyond its range of motion. This type of stretching is what many of us learned years ago in high school gym class but, today, is considered high risk and reserved only for certain sports.

The goal of stretching is to create a functional middle ground, a center that balances a joint’s need for stability with its need for mobility. These characteristics are relative and can only be determined within the context of the demands of one’s life—a gymnast will need more mobility whereas a marathon runner needs stability. We also need to understand the circumstances that lead to muscle imbalances. Is tightness due to a lack of use or patterns of overuse? Chronic sitting leads to tight hamstrings, so can certain walking patterns, as well as excessive standing. Each situation needs to be treated individually and considered in light of an individual's circumstances.

You may have learned that it is critical to stretch before and after every workout, and that failure to do so puts you in the express lane to injury. Overall, this belief lacks any backing in science. If you are embarking on a moderate workout that is no longer than 45 minutes to an hour and does not involve high intensity work, rapid changes in posture, or explosive moves, you don’t need to engage in static stretching beforehand. There is a good deal of evidence that suggests that pre-exercise static stretching has no effect on injury prevention and can even hinder performance. For strength training, static stretches before a lifting session can fatigue your muscles and tendons, making it harder to lift heavier loads. The only situation in which pre-exercise static stretching has been shown to reduce the risk of injury is before exercises that involve agility and explosive movements, such as sprinting, pole vaulting, high jumps, or pivoting. So, unless you are throwing javelins or training to break Usain Bolt’s sprinting records, static stretching is not an effective way to start your workout.

The ideal preparation for any workout starts with movements that raise body temperature, followed by dynamic stretches that put your joints through a full range of motion. Movements such as lunges, pushups, and squats lengthen muscles in the same way that a static stretch does but use rhythmic movements that increase blood flow and warm the body. Be sure to include movements that mimic those you’ll use in your workout—arm circles for swimming, high knees for cycling, arm swings and side lunges for Pickleball. These dynamic stretches serve as a type of rehearsal for your nervous system, helping it to prepare for the work to come.

Most of us assume that static stretching is critical after a workout, especially to accelerate our recovery and minimize soreness, but the literature on the benefits of post-exercise stretching is surprisingly mixed. Some studies show that static stretching can reduce muscle soreness but others show no benefit at all. A 2021 meta analysis of static stretching’s impact on muscle soreness found no evidence that it alleviated muscle soreness or added any other benefits. Some research suggests that stretching to minimize soreness is only effective when you already have a consistent stretching routine that includes stretches for all muscle groups. Even so, most researchers agree that static stretching after a workout doesn’t cause any harm and can be part of a proper cool down.

What’s the bottom line on stretching? To improve our flexibility, we should start our workouts with dynamic stretching, gradually increasing the speed of our movements and their range of motion. Usually 10 minutes is enough time for this type of pre-workout stretching. After a workout, we should do a proper cool-down to help facilitate the removal of metabolic waste products that build up while we exercise. Static stretching can be a good part of the cool-down, especially when we focus on muscles we know are tight. Keep in mind that, although the muscles are warmed up from the workout, they are also fatigued, so stretches should be done slowly so as not to stress an already compromised tissue.

We must always be mindful of our breath while stretching, breathing in softly and exhaling slowly. If a stretch causes you to hold your breath, back off a bit, as you are forcing the muscle to an edge that is not sustainable. Additionally, fast, shallow breathing, as well as holding the breath, sends a stress signal to the sympathetic nervous system, which will respond by slightly tensing the muscles, making them resistant to any lengthening. Slow, relaxed breathing, which stimulates calm in the body, is essential to effective stretching.

Most research supports a regular once or twice a week program that stretches the major muscles, using a combination of dynamic and static stretches. Pilates and yoga practices can be an important part of a flexibility program, provided you are holding poses for at least 30 seconds and are engaging the major muscle groups. Regardless of which format you use to develop flexibility, keep in mind that it is a gradual process, one in which we must approach with patience and an understanding that change comes slowly. We can’t measure flexibility on a Fitbit or an Apple watch; its progress lies beyond speed, mileage, or calories burned. Instead, it is found in that felt space of balance, as we gradually move our body closer to the center that lies between stability and mobility. That is the space where we find fitness.