Stretch Through These Expert Tips On How To Gain True Flexibility

When a contortionist or a yoga master shows what they're capable of, it's hard not to be impressed by their amazing flexibility. Indeed, it's also hard not to consider how handy their impressive ranges of motion and abilities to stretch could be in daily life.

As with most improvements a person can make on their body, improving one's flexibility can take time to see results and care to ensure the efforts involved are undertaken safely. As such, anyone looking to increase the extent to which their muscles can stretch would do well to take these comprehensive, expert-informed tips under consideration.

What type of stretching is best for you?

woman stretching with eyes closed in yoga stance in park
Luemen Rutkowski/unsplash
Luemen Rutkowski/unsplash

Because while it may be understood that stretching is the most obvious way to improve flexibility, it takes some awareness to determine which type of stretching is appropriate for which fitness context.

For example, a 2015 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found instances where just using static stretches as opposed to more dynamic stretches that incorporate motion could result in some minor loss of strength during a workout.

ADVERTISEMENT

Static stretching hones in on specific muscles

ADVERTISEMENT
man stretching calf on boardwalk guardrail while wearing headphones
Michael DeMoya/unsplash
Michael DeMoya/unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

Even if the name is unfamiliar, the action likely is because it simply involves stretching a specific muscle by holding it at a range that makes it feel tense while standing or sitting. This stretching is then repeated as necessary.

ADVERTISEMENT

In a 2012 study in the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy, static stretching was determined to be an effective method for increasing flexibility and one's ability to extend muscles. But the researchers said that this finding was situational and the right circumstances for its effectiveness warrant further discussion.

ADVERTISEMENT

Static stretching vs dynamic stretching

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
surfer lunging forward on board while raising her arms up in dynamic stretch
Joppe Spaa/unsplash
Joppe Spaa/unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

So what is dynamic stretching? This involves moving a specific muscle through its entire range of motion and repeating the process several times. For instance, a static stretch of an arm would involve holding it at a point of tension, while a dynamic stretch would involve making a circular motion between multiple points of tension.

ADVERTISEMENT

The 2012 study in the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy also identified dynamic stretches as effective for increasing flexibility and muscle extensibility, adding that this could depend on the specific workout a person is doing.

ADVERTISEMENT

Benefits of pre-contraction stretching

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
women laying on yoga mats holding their contracted knees in stretch with eyes closed
Getty Images/unsplash+
Getty Images/unsplash+
ADVERTISEMENT

Pre-contraction stretching is a somewhat advanced technique that involves contracting a target muscle rather than extending it. This technique then involves letting that muscle relax and passively stretch once the first position is held for long enough.

ADVERTISEMENT

As with static and dynamic stretching, the 2012 study in the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy identified pre-contraction stretching as an effective way to increase both a muscle's ability to extend and a person's overall flexibility. But the researchers involved also suggested this can depend on certain demographic information.

ADVERTISEMENT

Slow and stready

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
older woman stretching with smile on yoga mat in living room
Getty Images/unsplash+
Getty Images/unsplash+
ADVERTISEMENT

As a 2012 study in the Journal of Human Kinetics explained, there used to be an alternate method that trainers recommended in decades past called ballistic stretching. This was like dynamic stretching, but involved rapid, alternating movements when exploring a muscle's range of motion.

ADVERTISEMENT

However, that study's researchers found that ballistic stretching produces worse flexibility results than seen in pre-contraction methods. Worse yet, the 2012 study in the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy concluded that this method also increases the risk of injury. Therefore, slow and steady wins the race here.

ADVERTISEMENT

During dynamic stretching, there shouldn't be any "bouncing"

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
woman putting her head near her feet during forward fold stretch while on beach
Anne Christner/unsplash
Anne Christner/unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

In addition to the speed involved, another feature of ballistic stretching concerned the tendency of an athlete to try and extend their stretch by bouncing toward the limits of their range of motion.

ADVERTISEMENT

However, the researchers behind the 2012 study in the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy advised against doing this due to the associated risk of injury. Even, fluid motions that stop once that limit is reached are preferred.

ADVERTISEMENT

Train your flexibility 2-3 times a week

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
older adults stretching arms upwards in line while wearing workout clothes
Getty Images/unsplash
Getty Images/unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

As the 2012 study in the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy explained, that's the advice of the American College of Sports Medicine for stretching during a general fitness program.

ADVERTISEMENT

That kind of commitment is sufficient for the benefits of working out in general and improving flexibility, but it's also just the minimum. Although athletes should avoid overexerting themselves, putting more time per week into this commitment is fine if it still feels sustainable.

ADVERTISEMENT

Hold each stretch for 15-45 seconds at a time.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
woman sitting on yoga mat outside and stretching her bare feet with her eyes closed while her hands grip them
Vishal Bhutani/unsplash
Vishal Bhutani/unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

As the 2012 study in the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy explained, the American College of Sports Medicine advises holding each static stretch or engaging in dynamic stretches for bursts lasting between 15 and 30 seconds.

ADVERTISEMENT

A 2012 meta-analysis in the Journal of Aging Research concurs, stating that the longest a stretch should be held to achieve the most effective flexibility results without any drawbacks is 45 seconds.

ADVERTISEMENT

If a stretch is held for as long as a minute, it can cause problems

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
man holding neck in discomfort
Afif Ramdhasuma/unplash
Afif Ramdhasuma/unplash
ADVERTISEMENT

Although the effect isn't considered dangerously significant, studies examined in the 2012 meta-analysis in the Journal of Aging Research avoided having participants hold specific stretches for any longer than 45 seconds due to the potential for strength lost during a workout.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ignoring this recommendation hasn't been shown to directly hamper flexibility, but can make exercises unnecessarily harder.

ADVERTISEMENT

Repetition is key

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
woman stretching her arms out while bending over backwards
Dane Wetton/unsplash
Dane Wetton/unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

Just as a stretch needs to be held for a long enough time to have any likely impact on muscle flexibility, it must also be repeated while warming up for maximum effectiveness.

ADVERTISEMENT

Specifically, the 2012 study in the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy quotes the American College of Sports Medicine as recommending that athletes repeat each stretch two to four times.

ADVERTISEMENT

Don't repeat a stretch more than four times

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
alex-shaw-jzHwbgzXmwE-unsplash
Alex Shaw/Unsplash
Alex Shaw/Unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

Although repeating one's stretches is considered an essential part of improving one's flexibility, that doesn't mean that an athlete will unlock additional benefits by repeating them more than the American College of Sports Medicine recommends.

ADVERTISEMENT

According to the 2012 study in the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy, no further increases in muscle elongation were observed in those who repeated their stretches more than four times at once. At best, those who do this are wasting time.

ADVERTISEMENT

Older adults can break the rules during hamstring stretches

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
man stretching hamstrings on track and field course
Alora Griffiths/unsplash
Alora Griffiths/unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

Hamstring stretches are an important part of maintaining leg flexibility, but research cited in the 2012 study in the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy suggests that the usual recommendation for 15-45 second stretches may not apply to older adults.

ADVERTISEMENT

Specifically, they found that holding a static hamstring stretch for 60 seconds encouraged greater flexibility among this age group than shorter holds did.

ADVERTISEMENT

Stretching hips can improve flexibility in an important way.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
women turning their hips while stretching on yoga mats
Cliff Booth/pexels
Cliff Booth/pexels
ADVERTISEMENT

In the 2012 study in the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy, a brief mention is made of research suggesting that taking care of the muscles at the front of the hips (known as flexors) and those back towards the posterior (known as extensors) can benefit older adults.

ADVERTISEMENT

Specifically, static stretches in these areas were found to have a potentially strong effect in improving gait while walking.

ADVERTISEMENT

Don't forget the back.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
women leaning on one knee to stretch their backs on yoga mats in brick studio
bruce mars/unsplash
bruce mars/unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

One of the studies examined in the 2012 meta-analysis from the Journal of Aging Research had its participants engage in a regimen that included back extension stretches, as well as others that had them reach forward while sitting, rhythmically tuck their knees in, and lift their pelvic muscles at regular intervals.

ADVERTISEMENT

Together, these exercises showed the study's authors encouraging signs that they could help maintain and possibly improve spinal mobility in the older adults involved.

ADVERTISEMENT

Don't forget about your neck

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Woman stretching her neck
cristi531/pixabay
cristi531/pixabay
ADVERTISEMENT

And as the 2012 study from the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy outlined, the reasons for this can go beyond just improving flexibility.

ADVERTISEMENT

In this study, researchers cited another experiment that found that 12 months of static stretching for patients with chronic neck pain proved just as effective as physical therapy and strengthening exercises.

ADVERTISEMENT

Strength training can help flexibility as much as stretching

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
sam-sabourin-Qu70BExHRkQ-unsplash
Sam Sabourin/Unsplash
Sam Sabourin/Unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

In a 2015 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, researchers found that even in isolation, an exercise program that emphasized strength training also showed positive results for study participants' flexibility over the course of 16 weeks.

ADVERTISEMENT

So whether people in the gym realize it or not, the weight training they're doing to build muscles is also helping to make them more flexible.

ADVERTISEMENT

Keep in mind: flexibility training does not make muscles longer

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
woman stretching off to the side while sitting on hard wood floor
Conscious Design/unsplash
Conscious Design/unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

In the 2012 study from the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy, researchers discussed an earlier study suggesting that eight weeks of static stretching increased the physical capacity of a body's muscles to stretch.

ADVERTISEMENT

But the researchers in 2012 agreed with the earlier study's findings that such a regimen would increase a person's range of motion; they introduced other research suggesting that it had more to do with a body's tolerance to stretching than anything. So when flexibility improves, it essentially unlocks capabilities the body already had.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cool-downs are just as important as warm-ups for flexibility.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
woman in gym smiling at spotter as she sits up on yoga mat
bruce mars/unsplash
bruce mars/unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

When the researchers behind the 2012 study from the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy examined the effectiveness of pre-contraction stretching in improving a person's range of motion, they also confirmed an ideal time to do it.

ADVERTISEMENT

Because these techniques involve stretching passively after contracting a given muscle, they were considered ideal for the cooldown period of "relaxation stretching" after a workout. In the process, those findings also supported the utility of including a cooldown period.

ADVERTISEMENT

Combine different types of stretches

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
women in yellow workout outfits stretch hamstrings on basketball court next to boxed watter containers
Boxed Water Is Better/unsplash
Boxed Water Is Better/unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

According to a 2012 study in the Journal of Human Kinetics, pre-contraction stretching was linked to decreases in muscle performance when they were introduced in the warm-up period before a workout but found to increase performance when conducted after.

ADVERTISEMENT

This finding accords well with the conclusions of the researchers behind the 2012 study from the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy, who recommended engaging in static or dynamic stretches during the workout's warm-up period. However, deciding which is the better choice could depend on an athlete's demographic.

ADVERTISEMENT

Stretching the trunk muscles will likely help with spinal mobility

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
elderly man stretching downward next to tree and lake
Christian/pixabay
Christian/pixabay
ADVERTISEMENT

According to the 2012 study in the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy, trunk stretches like the forward fold shown here were shown to increase spinal mobility in older adults after about ten weeks of incorporating them into warm-up exercises.

ADVERTISEMENT

Spinal mobility refers to both the flexibility of the relevant muscles and the range of motion a spine can accommodate. The 2012 meta-analysis in the Journal of Aging Research also found that regular flexibility training of this kind could reduce the effects of aging on the spine.

ADVERTISEMENT

Men and older adults under 65 should try contraction stretching

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
shawn-levie-Drqie2dRWVk-unsplash
Shawn Levie/Unsplash
Shawn Levie/Unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

Although it remains unclear why this is for the time being, the researchers behind the 2012 study from the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy found that stretches that contract and then relax a given muscle may work better for men and older adults under 65.

ADVERTISEMENT

The data their study gathered suggested that such exercises could be more effective at increasing flexibility among this group than among other demographics.

ADVERTISEMENT

Women and older adults over 65 should try static stretching

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
older woman leaning forward over crossed legs at gym while trainer presses on her back
Getty Images/unsplash+
Getty Images/unsplash+
ADVERTISEMENT

For women and older adults over 65, the 2012 study from the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy concluded that it was likely a good idea to include static stretches into workout routines.

ADVERTISEMENT

Because just as pre-contraction stretching was found to be more effective when the same demographic was below the age of 65, static stretching began to show more effective results once that age threshold was crossed.

ADVERTISEMENT

Dynamic stretching is useful for higher-intensity workouts

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
woman stretching while kneeling on track and field course
Walter Lee Olivares de la Cruz/unsplash
Walter Lee Olivares de la Cruz/unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

Although static and pre-contraction stretching was found to decrease muscle performance if paired ineffectively with certain workouts, the 2012 study from the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy found the same was not true for dynamic stretching.

ADVERTISEMENT

For that reason, the use of dynamic stretching to improve flexibility is considered most effective when paired with workouts that incorporate a lot of running or jumping, such as sprinting or playing basketball.

ADVERTISEMENT

Remember not to overstretch

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
woman tilting body to the side during stretch
Anastasia Hisel/unsplash
Anastasia Hisel/unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

A 2012 meta-analysis in the Journal of Aging Research examined a litany of studies, and all of them made a point of having their subjects stretch only to the point where a painless tension is felt. And it's important to stay conscious of that threshold as flexibility improves.

ADVERTISEMENT

Because as the researchers behind the 2012 study in the Journal of Human Kinetics outlined, the tendons become more adaptable and accustomed to accepting more force as the body becomes more flexible. However, this can make it easier to stretch to the point of injury without realizing it, so be mindful of overextension.

ADVERTISEMENT

Be patient

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
woman in orange workout outfit stretching on gray concrete
Getty Images/nsplash+
Getty Images/nsplash+
ADVERTISEMENT

In the 2012 meta-analysis in the Journal of Aging Research, one trend becomes abundantly clear from each of the studies examined. And that's that each of the studies that saw measurable improvements in their subjects' flexibility took place over the course of 8-12 weeks at minimum.

ADVERTISEMENT

It takes a significant amount of time for the muscles to adjust the amount of stretching they're willing to tolerate, so it's worth knowing that any progress will appear gradually over the course of multiple weeks.

ADVERTISEMENT

Yoga can only help improve flexibility

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Woman doing complex yoga stretch
Carl Barcelo/unsplash
Carl Barcelo/unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

A 2016 study in the International Journal of Yoga found that participants who incorporated yoga into their flexibility training for ten weeks saw greater flexibility results than those who didn't.

ADVERTISEMENT

Those who trained in yoga for that time also saw greater benefits to their balance by the time those 10 weeks were over.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Right Foot Lunge yoga position helps a hard-to-stretch area

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
yoga practitioners lunging on their right feet together
Dylan Gillis/unsplash
Dylan Gillis/unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

According to a 2016 study in the International Journal of Yoga, research subjects who practiced this yoga position for ten weeks could bend their ankles back further once that term was over than those who engaged in flexibility training without yoga.

ADVERTISEMENT

Researchers also found that this position gave the yoga test group a better chance to stretch their posterior shank muscles.

ADVERTISEMENT

The downward dog yoga position is just great for the body

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
woman doing downward dog yoga position in soccer field
Nikola Murniece/unsplash
Nikola Murniece/unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

As the authors of the 2016 study in the International Journal of Yoga explained, research subjects in the yoga test group were able to significantly improve the range of motion in their hips, knees, and shoulders after practicing the downward dog position for ten weeks.

ADVERTISEMENT

Furthermore, they also showed greater flexibility in their hamstrings and lower back muscles by the time the experiment was over.

ADVERTISEMENT

The chair yoga position is great for the lower body

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
man squatting in living room during exercise
Getty Images/unsplash+
Getty Images/unsplash+
ADVERTISEMENT

In a 2016 study in the International Journal of Yoga, participants who practiced the chair position for ten weeks saw greater flexibility in their knees as a result of doing this.

ADVERTISEMENT

And while this was also true for those who didn't do yoga in the study, the strain on these subjects' shoulders suggested that the yoga test group achieved these results just by keeping an engaged lower body.

ADVERTISEMENT

With all of these tools and tips in mind, find out what works!

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
cathy-pham-FLQh5dkd4zk-unsplash
Cathy Pham/Unsplash
Cathy Pham/Unsplash
ADVERTISEMENT

The ultimate conclusion of the 2012 study from the International Journey of Sports Physical Therapy suggested that while many of the stretches discussed here are potentially helpful, their effectiveness seems to depend on the individual patient.

ADVERTISEMENT

So the best way to improve one's flexibility is to carefully try out each technique and out them together until the right combination is found. From there, just keep practicing them.