BORN FLEXIBLE OR TRAINED FLEXIBLE?

MOVEMENT OF THE DAY
SPINE STRETCH

How to perform it:

Sit on the ground with toes pointed up, about shoulder-width apart. Sit as tall as possible, pulling yourself up and out of your lower back. If your hamstrings are tight, it's okay to bend your knees a bit to stay upright.

Choose what's comfortable. Place your hands in front, inhale, and nod your chin, then exhale as you reach above your toes, rolling through your spine until you feel the stretch. Inhale, pull your belly button toward your spine and slowly return to the starting position. Repeat for 4 reps, using whichever variation works for you.

Watch me perform this exercise here.

Why it helps:

The Spine Stretch decompresses the spine, releases tension in the upper, mid, and lower back, promotes full breathing, stretches the hamstrings, and helps you maintain better posture. Let's get started and feel the benefits of this awesome stretch!

NARRATIVES
BORN FLEXIBLE OR TRAINED FLEXIBLE? 

I am VERY flexible when compared to the average person. But… am I actually that flexible?

I can do the splits, backbend, touch my elbow to my toe, and do some pretty freaky shoulder flexibility skills. But when I compare myself to the best of the best, aka contortionists, I am barely even a beginner with so much to learn and accomplish.

I’ve done an excessive amount of research on gaining flexibility from a scientific perspective. But science can only take you so far when they ask: “Does stretching make it harder to lift heavy things?” Spoiler alert: it doesn’t. 

That's unhelpful since I'm training flexibility for flexibility's sake.

I’m asking: Is it possible to go from barely touching your toes with your fingers to touching your forehead to your toes? I believe it is achievable, and I am on my journey to “stretch” the limits of what people think is possible.

My main point is that training flexibility as an adult is more than possible. Kids adapt way quicker, but that does not mean you cannot adapt.

You don’t have to train flexibility like me, but this applies to any goal you may have. You have to start somewhere, so just start.

TODAY’S SPONSOR
MY FAVORITE TOE SHOES

I wear PELUVA shoes, and I’ve found them really effective for strengthening my feet, toes, ankles, and calves. They’re designed to provide excellent support and flexibility, which is great for improving overall foot health and strength.

If you want to try them out, you can use the promo code STAYFLEXY at checkout on their website, peluva.com, to get 24% off your purchase. It’s a great way to get started with toe shoes and see the benefits for yourself!

QUESTIONS FROM READERS
HOW CAN I WORK ON TIGHT HAMSTRINGS?

QUESTION:

Hi!

My tight hamstrings are partly due to the sciatic nerve. How can I work on that? I read that stretching may not be the most beneficial.

Best regards Helena

ANSWER:

Hey Helena!

You’re absolutely right about the sciatic nerve being an issue for your hamstring flexibility. I can say that so definitively because it affects everyone’s hamstrings!

If you have severe issues, speaking to a professional or doctor is always best. But if flexibility is the only issue, nerve flossing is the way to go.

I absolutely recommend trying nerve-flossing. But the biggest bang for your buck will be combining it with Elephant Walks!

Here is a video detailing how to do it! So, to recap, explore nerve flossing and incorporate elephant walks into your mobility routine; your hamstring tightness should improve over time.

GOT QUESTIONS

Email us at: [email protected]

STRETCH WITH ME
MORNING MOBILITY ROUTINE

I hope you enjoy this morning’s mobility routine. It’s an excellent way to start your day! By the way, more follow-along videos are coming, so make sure to subscribe to the second channel @WorkoutsbyDavid

FEATURED CONTENT
HOW TO DO THE MIDDLE SPLITS

In this video, I guide Whealth through a middle split progression routine. Whealth has been practicing this routine twice a week for the past two weeks and has noticed gradual improvements. Although Wealth already has a solid starting point, the exercises are still quite challenging.

Learning the middle splits aims to improve flexibility and strength in the hips, which can help reduce the risk of injury. I emphasize the need to progress slowly and incrementally, avoiding forcing positions that cause pain. I hope you enjoy his fun routine!

YOUR VOICE MATTERS
EXPANDING THE STRETCH

My team and I are working diligently to bring you the most relevant and useful information possible, and that's why we want to hear from you.

THE LITERATURE
STRETCHING BUILDS MUSCLE LENGTHWISE

This research explains how muscles adapt and grow longer with proper stretching, promoting flexibility and reducing the risk of injury. It introduces a mathematical model to predict muscle growth, which could help doctors make better decisions in surgeries and treatments involving muscle and tendon lengthening. The research is older but definitely worth revisiting!

Key Takeaways:

• The model shows that when a muscle is stretched, it adds new units called sarcomeres, which help the muscle grow longer and adjust to the stretch.

• Initially, muscles stretch and get longer quickly, but over time, they slowly go back to their original length as new sarcomeres are added.

• Stretching promotes muscle development similarly to bodybuilding exercises, but rather than increasing muscle thickness, it enhances muscle length.

Practical Uses:

• The model suggests that gradually increasing the stretch in multiple steps is safer for the muscle than doing it all at once.

• It could be used to plan the best way to stretch muscles without causing damage, making it useful for surgeries or treatments that involve muscle or tendon adjustments.

Limitations:

• The model uses a basic understanding of muscle stretching and could be more accurate with better details.

• The model was tested on animals, so more data, especially from humans, is needed for better results.

• The research is from 2012, so it may not reflect the latest advancements in muscle stretching and growth science.

The Bottom Line:

This 2012 model helps us understand how muscles grow when stretched and could improve how doctors treat muscle and tendon problems. While it’s a promising tool, more testing and data are needed to make it widely applicable in clinical settings. However, it does highlight how stretching causes muscle growth, just like bodybuilding exercises do, but instead of making thicker muscles… it makes longer muscles!

Reference:

Zöllner, A. M., Abilez, O. J., Böl, M., & Kuhl, E. (2012). Stretching skeletal muscle: chronic muscle lengthening through sarcomerogenesis. PloS one, 7(10), e45661. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0045661