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Stretching: the Forgotten Workout

By Kevin Hensel

Stretching: Is It Really Worth Your Time? Have you ever had the intent of stretching, but you never seem to actually get around to it? This brings up an interesting topic, and a certain question that I am asked often.

Should you really stretch? The single most overlooked component to any fitness program is flexibility. Let's face it, there's nothing glamorous about stretching and frankly it's pretty boring too.

Whether you are hunched over a desk, marching around in too-high heels, or doing a marathon session on the treadmill, modern life contorts your muscles into knots. But did you know that your sore back, stiff neck, and tight joints may be a result of tight or unbalanced muscles in those regions?

Stretching does more than increase flexibility, which helps with posture and balance. It actually helps reduce tension. Your sore muscles and tendons can actually heal quicker if you incorporate stretching into your fitness routine. And some studies suggest that you may be able to recruit more muscle fibers during your workouts through stretching as well.

I admit it, I'm guilty. I used to be like everyone else and never stretched. Back in my mid twenties (No, I will not admit how long ago that was), I used to workout at the gym like a madman. I wouldn't waste my valuable workout time stretching when I had a ton of manly weight to lift. I would always stretch my clients, but I was too macho for that 'sissy' stuff. My infinite wisdom was about to catch up with me.

First I got bicep tendonitis (front of the shoulder pain) in both shoulders, that was shortly followed by patellar femoral syndrome (top of the knee pain) in both knees, and the trifecta was complete with chronic back pain. So much for the best shape of my life, I was in constant pain from head to toe. I was a complete mess! I knew if I did not change my ways I would cause irreversible damage.

I started an intensive flexibility program focusing on the areas I felt pain or tightness. I would stretch for approximately 30 minutes after my workout when my muscles were warm and pliable. I also threw in a few stretches throughout the day if I felt pain or stiffness. After only 3-4 weeks, my joint pain disappeared. I felt like a new man. I was a little embarrassed because I had been touting the importance of stretching, but never even listened to my own advice. Not only did I see immediate improvements in my range of motion, but it was a great way to relax and release my stress. Shortly after the initial 3-4 weeks, I was maintaining my new found flexibility in half the original time only a few days a week. I am still stretching ten years later in half the time and haven't had joint pain since. Even if you are in pain, it is never too late to feel the pain-reversing benefits of a well balanced stretching routine. Don't wait until you are in pain to start a stretching program like I did, get started stretching today.

Why stretching matters? When you overuse muscles, microscopic tears occur in the muscle tissue that trigger an inflammatory reaction, which leads to stiffness or soreness that you feel a day or two later. When you work the muscle the same way repeatedly, chemicals called metabolites accumulate in the muscle tissue. These chemicals build up and trigger pain receptors that are responsible for the pain you sometimes feel after exercise or physical activity. Stretching helps remove the metabolites and bring fresh blood to the tissues, preventing or easing soreness. In addition, stretching lengthens muscles improving posture and balance while alleviating discomfort after physical activity.

But you should know that all stretching exercises are not created equally. Research shows that the best way to stretch is to hold the position for a minimum of 10 seconds-or, better 20 to 30 seconds known as static stretching. Avoid bouncing while stretching (ballistic stretching) which can strain muscle tissues. Other stretching techniques such as dynamic, myofascial release, PNF, and active-isolated also have a growing pile of positive research behind them. However, static stretching is still the easiest, safest technique to get started with. If static stretching does not provide adequate results in 2-4 weeks these other forms of stretching should be the next progression. Seek the guidance of a qualified physical therapist, chiropractor, or fitness professional for specific guidelines.

How did I get so tight? There are three common causes of muscle pain and tightness. If you can identify the source of the pain, you'll be better able to treat it.

  1. Repetitive or everyday activities, such as sitting at a computer all day, driving in a car for extended periods, poor posture, awkward sleeping positions, and/or performing the same exercise routine for months on end are the most common culprits. Stress falls under this category, too, because it often makes you unconsciously clench and tense your muscles. Any position you stay in for more than an hour will play havoc on your muscular system. Certain muscles will get short and tight while others will get lengthened and weak. This creates tremendous stress on the joints and if left unchecked leads to eventual pain, arthritis, tendonitis, and other inflammatory conditions. Stretching retrains the brain and muscle to go back to its normal length, restoring normal muscle balance and function.

  2. Strenuous, out of the ordinary exertion, like moving furniture, raking leaves, or trying a new exercise may result in delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) within 24-48 hours.

  3. Everyday injuries or sports related injuries like a sprained ankle, pulled hamstring, or whiplash from a car accident may in time even years later cause all kinds of trouble. When a joint, ligament, or tendon is injured the body tightens all of the muscles around the area to immobilize and protect it from further injury. Uninjured muscles will start to perform the function of other muscles that were injured (synergistic dominance) which creates several compensations throughout the entire body. These imbalances don't just go away after you have healed, unless you are under the guidance of a physical therapist or qualified health practitioner. That is why injuries when we were younger can come back to haunt us because our bodies have been compensating over time. Stretching regains mobility and stability preventing the muscular imbalances throwing us out of whack.

Which muscles need to be stretched? We only need to stretch the muscles that are short and tight with a limited range of motion. Which unfortunately means they feel tight, restricted, and uncomfortable. Stretching a muscle that has a normal range of motion and 'feels good' has little if any positive effect and in some instances can over time lengthen a muscle to the point where it cannot stabilize the joint it surrounds and lead to possible injury.

Selecting the proper stretches targeting the tight areas of the body are instrumental to an effective flexibility program. Common postural imbalances, repetitive stress, and injuries create very predictable patterns of tightness.

In a nutshell. You are now committed to get started on your corrective stretching phase. Perform each stretch 30-60 seconds, 1-2 times daily, 4-6 days per week for 2-4 weeks. Each muscle and person will progress at a different rate. After the initial 2-4 weeks you can transition into a maintenance stretching phase of 3-4 days per week holding each stretch 10-30 seconds.

Oh God, there's more? As previously mentioned when certain muscles get short and tight, other muscles get lengthened and weak. Stretching is a great way to lengthen those short and tight muscles. But we also need to strengthen those weak areas in order to maintain our new found flexibility. Regular strength workouts 2-3 times per week reduce the likelihood that you'll get a muscle imbalance that could cause pain. Incorporate strengthening exercises to target these weak areas to maximize your performance. For example when you sit a desk all day your chest and upper neck muscles get very short and tight. You need to stretch those areas and strengthen the muscles that help pinch your shoulder blades together called your posterior deltoid, rhomboids, and mid/lower-trapezius. Don't worry it's not as technical as it sounds, just pinch your shoulder blades back and down. And to make your life even easier there will another e-book coming out shortly which will cover all of the strength exercises for these weak muscles.

When not to stretch. There is mounting research that static stretching right before an athletic event might be a detriment to performance and power production. Studies have shown statistically significant decreases in power production in sporting events directly following static stretching. Dynamic stretching and active warm-ups targeting all of the tight areas have become the gold standard in athletic preparation. For more information on how to better prepare yourself for an athletic event or sport contact a qualified physical therapist or health/fitness professional.

'The human body is the only machine for which there are no spare parts.' Hermann M. Biggs, former NYC health commissioner

About the Author:

Kevin Hensel is a certified personal trainer and performance enhancement specialist located in Cherry Hill, NJ. For the past 11 years he has helped hundreds of clients achieve their weight loss goals at his personal training studio called Fit-4-Life, Inc.