🧘‍♀️ Why Flexibility Training Matters--okay a bit more on this....

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Oct 25 (edited) • Workout Ideas

Okay...decided to nerd it out a little bit more on the importance of stretching so I'm gonna share some nuggets here...Maybe it'll help persuade a little bit! :) (The material below is a short summary based on a lesson on the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)'s site about the Scientific Rationale for Flexibility Training).

Most people think stretching is just about feeling looser or improving posture, but flexibility training goes beyond that It helps protect your body from two key issues that can lead to pain and injury: pattern overload and the cumulative injury cycle.

💡 Pattern overload happens when you repeat the same movements every day. It might be pitching a baseball, running long distances, lifting boxes at work, or sitting at your desk for hours (really, any movements that are repetitive in nature). Over time, these repetitive motions create muscular imbalances and abnormal strain on your joints and connective tissues.

🔥 The cumulative injury cycle begins when repetitive stress or poor posture causes tissue irritation and inflammation. Your body responds with muscle tension and small protective spasms (it's trying to compensate...). Over time, these microspasms can lead to adhesions forming in the fascia, creating a web of tightness that limits movement.

🧬 According to Davis’s law, soft tissue remodels itself along the lines of stress placed upon it. If muscles stay tight or inactive, the body lays down collagen in random directions. This then causes stiffness, limited mobility, and altered movement patterns. The longer this goes on, the more the body adapts to these restrictions.

💪**** This is where flexibility training becomes essential. Stretching and myofascial release techniques help restore proper movement, break up adhesions, and encourage tissues to remodel in healthy ways. ****Flexibility training improves joint range of motion, muscle balance, and neuromuscular efficiency, allowing the body to move the way it was designed to.*******

Some ways to apply it:

-Use self-myofascial release (foam rolling) to target tight areas and release adhesions

-Follow up with static or active stretching to lengthen overactive muscles

-Use dynamic stretching before workouts to prepare joints and muscles for movement (try to avoid static stretching before a workout as it decreases power/performance ability)

-Identify which muscles are overactive and which are underactive. For example, if the pelvis tilts forward (anterior pelvic tilt), the hip flexors are usually tight and need stretching, while the hamstrings are lengthened and often do not

****As always, please know your own limitations and if you have any issues where this would be contraindicated--check in with your medical provider as needed***

✅ Try adding 5–10 minutes of flexibility work after your workout or at the end of your workday. Focus on the areas that feel tight or restricted. Consistent, mindful stretching can reduce pain, improve posture, and keep your body functioning at its best.

Question for the community: Do you take time to stretch?

Yes, I stretch and am working on my flexibility daily

Yes, I try to stretch when I remember...a few times a week

No, I don't stretch but see the need for it

No, I don't stretch and don't see a need for it

3 votes

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