Everything in moderation…
November 27, 2009 at 2:47 pm (In the News, Self Care)
Tags: flexibility, resistance, Stretch
Is it essential to stretch and be flexible? I think yes, it is. Can a person stretch too much? Yes. Here is a very interesting New York Times article about the economy of flexibility. According to them, the more flexible a runner is the lower their performance. And they are probably right.
For years I have been telling my clients to NOT stretch before an event for this very reason. Instead, I recommend they stretch AFTER an event. But the purpose is not to lengthen a muscle or stretch out tendons and ligaments. The purpose is to separate the fibers and layers of tissue to prevent adhesions. THAT kind of suppleness will serve you quite well. And I think that is why resistance stretching is so effective. The best analogy I can think of is those 3M Command adhesive strips. Pull them taut and slow, voilà! Unstuck.
Someone might say “But Lynn, if you are more flexible you can extend further and your running stride will be longer and more fluid.” I would answer “Yes. If you are STRONG at your end-range.” If your are just loose and weak, the flexibility will not improve your performance and possibly will be detrimental. Hm. I see opportunity for injury here. I surmise this weakness is why the loose feeling after a stretch does not last (as mentioned in the article). This is why resistance stretching is doubly effective. It builds strength at the end-range.
I’m starting to sound like a commercial for resistance stretching. That is not my intention. Resisted and passive stretching make good partners. Passive stretching seems to target the attachments and tendons while resisted stretching seems to target the belly of the muscle.
Here is an excerpt from the article:
“…they found that, across the board, the tightest runners were the most economical. This was true throughout the groups and within the genders. The inflexible men were more economical than the women, and for both men and women, those with the tightest hamstrings had the best running economy. They also typically had the fastest 10-kilometer race times. Probably, the researchers concluded, tighter muscles allow “for greater elastic energy storage and use” during each stride. Inflexibility, in other words, seems to make running easier.”
KevinC said,
January 9, 2010 at 9:41 pm
I have to disagree here. I have run my best when I was the loosest,my performance been impeded because the body ends of fighting itself. My fastest times were always when I was running effortlessly as a function of an easy gait with full range of motion. I found that the problem was often diet, so a switch to magnesium supplementation transdermally removed the muscle tightness as a result of calcification.
If you look at the top-flight runners there are always an effortless gait, they seem to float off the ground.
Toronto Massage Therapy & Acupuncture said,
February 25, 2010 at 10:14 pm
I agree with you loud and clear. Stretch after the event/workout. Research also shows that stretching pre event also leads to more injuries. Making those joints, ligaments and tendons looser before an event takes away stability and healthy muscle tension leading to twisted ankles, tweaked knees, etc.
Stretching in the right way, at the right time has so many benefits that it should be part of any athlete’s training.
Massage Plano Texas said,
February 27, 2010 at 11:02 pm
Hrmmm. I do see your point about economy of running, yet it seems possible that it is of benefit to only a minority of people.
In my practice I see much discomfort and damage from “tight” calves and hamstrings, among runners and non-runners. Tight calves in particular seem to correlate with heel spurs and lower back pain.
Just my point of view – I wouldn’t encourage the majority of the general public to think tight muscles will make them marathon winners.
John James LMT
Joyce South said,
March 18, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Thank you for this wonderful article. I talk to my clients so often about “easy lengthening” rather than “stretching”. I see people every day that over stretch before intense exercise or marathon running, then they come to me so see if I can ‘fix’ it. I will pass this information on because I like the way you explained it.
Joyce South LMT
Dr. Dustin Fraker said,
July 29, 2010 at 12:44 pm
I like the way you have explained this logically. Great article. I do a functional posture alignment class that is heavily based on resistance stretching and it works wonders for people to restore balance not necessarily just get more flexible. Flexibility alone = instability. Thanks for the article!
INeedaMassage said,
September 23, 2010 at 8:24 am
I tend to think that flexibility is largely inherited. I have clients who have never stretched or even exercised but,boy are they flexible ..
Mr. Randy said,
November 4, 2010 at 2:40 pm
Great article! I’m kind of on the fence with this no stretching prior to an event? I agree that post stretching is a must. But I believe passive stretching prior to an event should really be dependent on the person and the event. A well seasoned athlete running a marathon or 5k is a lot different than a weekend runner doing the same. So I wouldn’t group everyone into one category
massage business said,
January 7, 2011 at 1:16 pm
What this is really calling for then is a greater awareness of the subtleties of stretching and the functioning of our muscles, which can only be a good thing.
Massage Hong Kong said,
January 27, 2011 at 9:43 am
Always stretch.
massage continuing ed said,
March 9, 2011 at 9:12 am
Good post about both the importance – and limitations – of stretching. I think you’ve raised some interesting questions here.
Seattle Massage School said,
June 16, 2011 at 8:23 pm
I really enjoyed reading about this article on stretching! We teach our students that stretching is good across the board but perhaps we should be more specific when it comes to working on athletes. I would agree with you in that passive stretching seems to target the attachments while resisted targets the belly. Good to have to mix of both and to make sure students understand the difference. Thanks again!