Don’t Believe The Hype
There is quite a bit of noise around static stretching these days. Both for it and against it. Maybe a lot of it is just clickbait. Maybe some people really believe it will cause joint laxity and kill strength in the gym. While some think static stretching is a waste of time, I’ll argue that the fear around stretching is a much greater waste of time. So I’m going to lay out a case for why everyone should static stretch.
If they want to. I don’t care what anyone else does. Just don’t be concerned that gaining flexibility is going to cause all sorts of irreparable harm to body and performance. I’m empathetic to the strength community and its dogmas. The barbell has been a cornerstone of my training and still is. But if you like to stretch, don’t worry that it’s going to kill your gains. Or make your joints dangerously unstable.
This article isn’t about any specific stretching program or protocol, just some general thoughts on the benefits of stretching. You can experiment for yourself based on goals and specific issues to be solved.
Here is a little bit about my own experience and other thoughts on the matter.
When I Lost My Flexibility
When I was younger I was naturally flexible. The pancake stretch came easy for me. We stretched at the beginning of football practice every day. And amazingly it didn’t make us weak, slow, or unstable.
Throughout my twenties and thirties I did a pretty balanced mixture of lifting, hiking, skiing, climbing, and yoga. I was fit, flexible, and adapted to many physical activities. I never had injuries.
Then towards the end of my thirties I got bit by the strength training bug again in a big way. I regained the top end strength and muscular size I had when playing football. And I looked and felt like a tank again. I was always reading about strength, studying, listening to podcasts. With so much more information at our fingertips than I had in high school and college, I went down the rabbit hole. And learned a ton.
But I also bought into the negative dogma around stretching that kept popping up online. Many seem to think it’s a total waste of time for strength athletes, if not counter-productive. I convinced myself that deep squats were all the mobility I really needed. And I eventually lost the ability to do a pancake stretch altogether. Or do a couch stretch or downward dog. I was stiff and tight. And I started pulling muscles and accumulating injuries.
All I did was lift heavy, and then deal with feeling like I got hit by a truck every morning. Running felt terrible and clunky, I lost some of my jumping ability and springiness, and I wasn’t as quick and agile on skis. I didn’t feel like much of an athlete any longer, and I hated it.
So I started stretching again. Not necessarily before workouts, but at least before bed or in the morning. Maybe for thirty minutes. Maybe for an hour. It’s easy to stretch while listening to a podcast or music. Don’t pretend there isn’t time for it. Netflix doesn’t care it you’re sitting on the couch or if you’re on the ground stretching.
Feeling Good Feels Good
And I felt so much better. Even if the benefits don’t extend beyond the immediate aftermath of a stretching session, getting in bed feeling loose and comfortable in one’s skin is a simple pleasure. Joints that no longer feel creaky and stiff are happy joints. It just feels good. And it takes a masochist or a dogmatic zealot to argue with that.
People drink alcohol every day just to feel better temporarily. So if stretching to feel better for a few hours seems crazy to someone, just tell them that stretching has some similar benefits to a couple of shots of whisky. Without the hangover. Feeling good is an obvious reason why everyone should static stretch.
Most Of Us Who Lift Aren’t Only Powerlifters
I’ve been skiing since I was two years old. I still like to ski hard and I don’t want to make adding pounds to my deadlift so important that it impacts my ability to haul ass down a mountain. It goes without saying that skiing has inherent risks to it. At highway speeds, a fall on skis involves powerful forces tossing us down the side of the hill like ragdolls.
No amount of stretching will prevent certain injuries. But like an airplane wing is intentionally designed to bend so it won’t break, there are benefits to preparing the body with the same intentions in mind.
My own personal experience proves out that having extra range of motion throughout the body can allow us to walk away from some accidents unscathed. Or with a minor injury instead of a major one. It might be a fall on skis that forces the body into the splits. It might be getting twisted into a pretzel in a wrestling match. If somebody has intentionally put their body in similar positions beforehand they’re better prepared.
I love to sprint. And when I stretch beforehand I feel significantly more fluid. I may or may not be running any faster. But the sensation is effortless. Feeling truly athletic simply feels right and is a key reason why everyone should static stretch.
If all you want to do is squat, deadlift, and bench press, don’t worry about flexibility. Just don’t assume that heavy squatting alone will necessarily make you run like a cheetah. Or be able to perform overhead kicks in martial arts. Not that stretching alone will either, but it helps tremendously.
If you want to participate in life in a more dynamic way, increased flexibility has so many obvious benefits that all it takes is a little objective reflection to realize it’s worth a bit of time.
Mental Confidence and Aging Benefits
Stretching requires getting down on the ground. In a culture that primarily sits in chairs, a modern convenience, getting down on the ground allows us to tap into movements and positions we’re evolved for but miss from sitting all of the time. Like hanging out in a deep squat. Doing life’s chores on the ground was normal before we had chairs. Kneeling to skin an animal or grind corn into cornmeal.
One of the problems with a chair based society is that we never get down on the ground. In old age, falling and getting stuck on the ground is a real risk for many people. It should seem obvious that getting down on the ground daily and having to get back up is a good practice. The mental benefits of having that confidence speak for themselves. This is another reason why everyone should static stretch.
And just like preparing the body for the impacts of skiing, an aging population that isn’t brittle and stiff is less likely to sustain life threatening injuries during falls.
Flexible Freaks Of Nature
Sometimes we need look no further than high performers who have tremendous flexibility to see the benefits. Or at least see that being flexible isn’t problematic.
Dmitry Klokov is one of the strongest weightlifters on earth. He looks like a pro bodybuilder, but his mobility is almost that of a gymnast. And he even commits the mortal sin of stretching before lifting. But he has snatched over 210 kg and clean and jerked over 240 kg. Being flexible hasn’t hurt his strength at all.
Kadour Ziani was one of the first people to make a living doing nothing more than dunking a basketball. At less than 6’0″ tall, he can kick a basketball wedged between the rim and backboard at 10’0″ above the ground. Very few people on earth can jump as high as he can. And he’s still doing it at 49 years old. And after a full rupture of his Achilles tendon at age 46. He claims the secret to his ability, longevity, and injury recovery is very deep stretching around his knees, ankles, and feet. Testing the limits of the range of motion of his joints. He has great genetics as well, but genetics don’t last without proper care and maintenance. And he uses mobility to retain his ability.
David Goggins is a former Navy Seal and ultramarathon runner. Years of beating his body to a pulp left him tight, injured, and sick. He fixed himself with daily stretching sessions that lasted multiple hours. He lengthened his psoas muscles, the primary hip flexors, and claims it cured not only his body but his anxiety. And it allowed him to return to running when he thought his career was over.
When people who have pushed the human body to its limits swear by stretching, it’s not a bad idea to listen. Another reason why everyone should static stretch.
Stretching Won’t Solve Every Problem
Stretching won’t solve every ache, pain, and bodily disfunction. That claim would be foolish. Some structural injuries and neurological issues require different interventions. But for many athletes, including powerlifters, being more flexible provides a lot of health and performance benefits. And just because it doesn’t fix everything, that doesn’t mean it won’t fix or improve all kinds of issues and physical dysfunctions.
The Same Thoughts Apply To Foam Rolling
Foam rolling is subject to much of the same hype. I personally find that stretching has more permanent and lasting benefits than foam rolling.
But like stretching, foam rolling is just what I need to feel better sometimes. It loosens up tightness in the body, removes aches, and provides relief. I’d rather foam roll if I have pain and tightness than take an Advil. Even if the benefits of foam rolling are up for debate, there are literally no negative side effects. Which means there’s no risk in trying it.
You Don’t Have To Be a Yogi
Even if flexibility isn’t a top priority, there are lots of reasons why everyone should static stretch. Even just a few minutes a day. The benefits will accumulate over time, making anybody feel better, perform better, and age better.
Reach out if you’d like suggestions on stretching regimens, or look around the web for different ideas. Everyone has different goals and needs. But Zack Height, and Josh and Trevor Hash from Strength Side, have a lot of good advice and programming. Both free and paid. Happy to stretching, and here’s to feeling good.