Not Stretching is Hurting Your Progress
Stretching and warm-ups are the two most common things people skip during their workouts. I get it, it's tedious, painful, and kinda sucks to do. But it's more important than you realize, especially if you're trying to put on muscle. So here are 3 reasons why your lack of stretching is hurting your progress.
1. Stretching Effects Your Muscle Mass
You put in work at the gym and get enough protein, but without stretching your muscles, they won't grow to their full potential of mass. Why? Stretching your muscles during recovery allows them to heal in their elongated or stretched state, which increases their overall mass. When they heal in their shortened or tense state, they heal in their smallest form. So while you may see an increase in power you won't gain mass.
Think about bending your arm to flex your bicep. The muscle may seem larger in this state, but when stretched out, it elongates and "flattens" out. If you grow your muscle in its largest form (stretched), its size increases more overall.
2. You're Heading Toward an Injury
Tight muscles and tendons pull on your joints. Whether you work out or not, you still use your body daily, and simply living is causing tension and knots to form. Now add intense weight training where you're constantly pushing your muscles to their limits. Eventually, your shortened muscles will pull on its connecting joints and you'll find yourself getting hurt.
I learned this the hard way. I've been a professional dancer since I was a teenager and started lifting seriously in my early 20s. Like most guys, I never put a lot of focus into stretching like I should have. Until the day I felt a "pop" while doing a move I've done countless times before. The resulting knee injury had me on crutches and out for 6 months. Since then, stretching has become a vital part of my workout and recovery routine.
3. You can't scratch that spot on your back (lol)
You greatly limit your range of motion and flexibility when you neglect stretching. Having the physique you want is great, but being able to move is even better. Tight muscles can't properly extend to perform their function. You can’t go as hard in the gym with limited mobility, and the last thing you want is to stop progress with an injury. So the key is being able to gain strength and mass while increasing your flexibility and improving mobility with a daily stretch routine.
Stretching can be easy to neglect when you don't fully value its importance. Adding dynamic and static stretches to your daily workouts will help you gain better results, allowing you to train longer and have a better quality of life.
Stretching can be easy to neglect when you don't fully value its importance. Adding dynamic and static stretches to your daily workouts will help you gain better results, allowing you to train longer and have a better quality of life.
Tips for adding stretching into your routine:
Start small. Add 10 minutes of stretching before and after your workout, focusing on the muscles being worked.
Perform stretches during your rest between sets
Have a plan
To help make incorporating a stretch routine easier, we created the Stretch List. This e-book includes static and dynamic stretches for the major muscle groups and is designed for easy reference during your workouts.
