Stretching- You've been doing it wrong all these years?!
Reach for your Toes (the truth about stretching)
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Massage Tips for loosening the body
Ever go to a yoga class thinking “I need to get more flexible' but find yourself struggling to get out of a pretzel pose?
Looking around you, you may see bendy people all around and you begin to feel brittle and old.
Well here's the reality of stretching.
I'd be stretching the truth to say that stretching is equally beneficial for all people. How you stretch will be different for every person because it depends on body type. Some people have joints that allow more movement, when in fact their muscles aren't getting 'stretched' at all. There are some VERY flexible people whose muscles are extremely tight! So don't think you're the only one with tight muscles. That said, there are some body types that have the inability to stretch due to obstruction, joint mobility, and chronic muscle contraction (throwing in the fact that some people may also have scar tissue that limits their stretch.)
When I stretch, my muscles stretch.
Not really. First, you need to warm the body. Stretching 'cold' is like taking dough from the fridge; you cannot do much with it until it warms and becomes pliable. So same for your muscles. When you go immediately into a stretch, your muscles usually contract at first! What?! Yes.
So before you get ready for a crazy stretch pose, let's hold up for a moment here. The body is always meant to protect you, and if you pull quickly on a muscle, it will contract in fear of getting pulled in half. On top of that, there are certain muscles that cannot be stretched due to the structural alignment of the body. I also love to remind my classes, you can stretch till you're blue in the face but if you have adhesions and stuck tissue, you are not going to fully benefit from a stretch.
Massage, whether professional or through self-care, is going to be your new best friend. You can open the body through slow stretches as you massage through a tight muscle to help loosen the fibers and tissue.
So how do I stretch?
The next time you stretch, tune in with the body, go slow, be patient, and see if the body is open to letting go. I always suggest some roller time, MYMA Restore with the balls, or some self-massage will help prepare the body. When you're ready to move into the stretch position, you should hold it for 30 seconds so a signal can go from the muscle to the brain, then back to the muscle in order to allow the fibers to give a little release. Oh, and one big piece of advice, stretch yourself. Passive stretching is when someone guides you through a stretch as you lay there screaming. Okay, just kidding. You should never be screaming through a stretch. It should never be painful. Be wary of the 'hurt so good' stretching. Leave passive stretching to the professionals. Even with the professionals, you should be VERY intuned with your body and are openly communicating with them about when 'enough is enough’. Remember this is your body and it takes time for any change to occur, don't rush anything.
Soooo why do we even bother to stretch?
Stretching is more than just for muscles. You have this awesome connective tissue called Fascia that loves to get its stretch on. Though you may not always feel a stretch, your body will benefit from opening up and moving.
