To stretch or to strengthen?

Raise your hand if you feel like you lack flexibility in one or more parts of your body.

Wait, can’t raise your hand because your shoulder is too tight? Well then, take a big bow instead. Hold on, are your hamstrings holding you back? Okay, you’ve got some muscle tightness. What to do? Gotta stretch, right? Well, that’s a good start but it may not give you the results you’re looking for.

This article is not meant to dissuade anyone from stretching. It’s a worthwhile tool to help improve muscle flexibility and joint range of motion. It can be an important factor in improving poor posture and can also help alleviate muscle discomfort. While it is a good habit to stretch regularly it is just as important to know how to stretch properly.

It’s not uncommon for people to stretch too hard as well as too fast. Stretching each calf muscle as far as you can for seven seconds each is NOT the most beneficial approach. Studies have shown that stretching at a low to medium level for a minimum of 30 seconds gives the muscle ample time to start to release at the microscopic level. A 30-60 second stretch at a comfortable level (feeling a stretch without strain or pain) is a nice approach to aim for.

The feeling of muscle tightness can actually be caused by several things. These include:

• Overuse
• Underuse
• Stress
• Dehydration
• Poor Posture
• Weakness in other muscles

Here are some things that you can do if you feel like your muscle tightness is caused by one or several of these factors.

Overuse:

Take some time to rest your muscles and perform light stretches if comfortable

Underuse:

Start moving those muscles and consider light strengthening

Stress:

Stretch those muscles (most people “carry stress” in their upper traps or “shrug” muscles). Yoga, meditation, drinking tea, going for a walk, seeing a therapist: these are all things to consider if you feel that stress is starting to affect your body.

Dehydration:

This one has an obvious solution. The solution is water…drink it. Also, consider healthy drinks with electrolytes. The key here is to consistently hydrate throughout the day. If you feel like you’re getting a bit thirsty or feel parched then you’re ALREADY DEHYDRATED. Staying ahead of that thirsty feeling is the way to go.

Poor Posture:

We have a blog entry on this website, simply titled “Posture”, that covers this subject more extensively. Go check it out!

Weakness in Other Muscles:

Some people have tight hamstrings (muscles in the back of the thighs that are responsible for flexing the knees and extending the hips). In some cases, the main cause is the result of weakness in the core (these include the gluteus muscles in the hip along with the muscles in the front and back of the lower trunk). To compensate for the instability of the pelvis the brain will send signals to the hamstrings to “tighten up.” So, in this scenario, strengthening one’s core can actually lead to a “relaxing” of the hamstring muscles once the core muscles are providing appropriate stability to the pelvis.

Let's say that you’ve spent time strengthening your core muscles and have been hydrating throughout your days. You’ve consistently stretched tight muscles correctly for some time now and you’ve made efforts to improve your posture. However, you just can’t seem to lengthen one particular set of muscles…the hamstrings. These muscles can be pesky when it comes to tightness but there is another approach that can be helpful.

The Hip Hinge is a great way to both strengthen and lengthen the hamstring in one fell swoop! Check out the below videos explaining this exercise. The first one incorporates a dowel to help align your spine but if you don’t have the shoulder range of motion to hold the dowel on your back then the second video might be a better guide for you.

So, here’s the secret. The forward hip hinge lengthens the hamstrings while they simultaneously are being forced to contract in order to allow your trunk to pitch forward in a controlled fashion. This is called an eccentric contraction. This allows for the hamstrings to be lengthening while under tension. The result…is greater functional hamstring length. This will be more beneficial than stretching alone and is the best way to help gain the range of motion you’ve been missing!

Pro Tip:

If you’ve mastered the Hip Hinge without issue then you may be able to progress to the Romanian Deadlift. This involves using either light dumbbells or a bar to add a load to the exercise. It also involves some slight knee flexion (bending). The below video covers how to do a Romanian Deadlift…just don’t start with the weight they’re using! If you have concerns about whether or not this exercise is appropriate for you then please consult your physical therapist or doctor before trying it.