“I need to stretch more.”
“I’m tight because I don’t stretch enough.”
“If I don’t stretch, I’ll be sore.”
“I should do more Yoga.”
These are common things I hear people say.
But! Is the time you’re spending stretching (or think you should spend stretching) actually giving you the benefits you think it is?
I have many thoughts on this topic 🤓
Stretching Can Support Recovery, But There Is A But…
Stretching can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps shift your body toward recovery mode. Moving through full ranges of motion in the morning or before training can improve circulation and temporarily decrease muscle tone.
That’s useful.
But temporary is the key word! If you don’t do anything to reinforce the mobility you have created the tissues will return to their previous state. Sometimes within minutes. There is a reason the stiffness is present in the first place and while lack of movement is sometimes the culprit, more often it’s an instability and weakness that causes this compensation pattern.
Passive Range ≠ Usable Range
If someone can move your leg into a range of motion but you can’t actively control it yourself, that’s not a mobility problem. It’s a strength and control problem!
If you can access a range passively but not actively, your body won’t “trust” that range. Strength training is what builds the capacity to use it.
Mobility without strength is not optimal and can actually cause you to feel “stiffness” despite not having any true restriction. Your nervous system is smart and does more to protect you than you may realize.
Feeling Stiff From Training?
If you’ve increased your training intensity and feel sore or stiff, you might not be “tight”, you might just need improved circulation and recovery practices.
When you strength train, you are intentionally placing stress on muscle tissue.
That stress creates:
- Mechanical tension: heavy or challenging loads create force within muscle fibers.
- Microscopic muscle damage: Small disruptions occur within muscle fibers (especially during eccentric/lowering/lengthening phases).
Stretching doesn’t “repair” this and while it can help improve circulation it is not a magical fix that if you do right after a run or training session will “remove” the muscle damage or offer any sort of tissue repair that will make you not sore.
After training your body automatically responds by increasing blood flow and initiating a repair process. This brings immune cells and nutrients to the area.
Things that can impact the repair process are:
- Protein intake
- Sleep
- General nutrition and hydration
- Adequate recovery time
- Gradual progression
I repeat, stretching doesn’t undo muscle damage and it doesn’t need to. Because that “damage” is part of adaptation and how you build strength and tissue tolerance.
Not All Stiffness Is Bad
For certain athletes, individuals, or specific joints stiffness can actually be functional. Tendon stiffness contributes to force production and efficiency. Stiffness can also help improve joint stability for those who present with joint hypermobility or laxity.
Don’t get me wrong, we don’t want unnecessary restrictions.
But we also don’t want to eliminate stiffness that helps you perform or helping prevent an injury.
Often, the answer isn’t stretching more, it’s developing strength under length where it’s actually needed.
When Tightness Is Compensation
Sometimes increased muscle tone isn’t about short muscles. It’s your body creating stability because something else is weak or poorly controlled.
If you keep stretching the same area and it always “comes back,” it’s worth asking:
What is this muscle compensating for?
Stretching alone won’t fix the root cause.
So… Should You Stop Stretching?
Not at all (😆)…
If stretching relaxes you, feels good, or helps you wind down, keep it.
But if you’re chronically stretching the same areas without lasting change and expecting it to start making a difference, it may be time to shift the strategy.
Strength, control, and intelligent loading often create more durable mobility than passive stretching ever will.
How Do We Approach This At BIM?
Our assessment process helps us identify areas of restriction, and our job is to determine whether that restriction is due to instability (and why that instability exists) or a true limitation in muscle length.
We’re not diagnosing injuries, but we do look for markers or red flags that may suggest an underlying joint issue. When appropriate, we encourage clients to incorporate physiotherapy or athletic therapy alongside their training.
From there, programs are designed to address imbalances and build strength, control, and stability, particularly in ranges that are initially presented as restricted. Rather than simply stretching an area, we work to develop strength under length so that the range becomes usable and resilient.
We regularly reassess range of motion and movement quality to ensure progress is meaningful and lasting, especially as training intensity and complexity increase. It’s a process but it works! If you’re interested in learning more please feel free to book a call via THIS link.
Class dismissed 🤘🏻