Why Strengthening is More Important than Stretching: A Closer Look at Long-Term Physical Health
When it comes to maintaining physical health and preventing injury, the debate between strengthening and stretching is ongoing. While both play crucial roles in fitness, recent insights suggest that strengthening exercises may offer more substantial benefits than stretching alone. Understanding why can help you optimize your workout routine for better health and longevity.
The phrase “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” is a golden nugget when it comes to stretching vs strengthening. Some need a large amount more of one than the other. However stretching is often a blanket, and frankly, lazy prescription for those in pain.
The Limitations of Stretching Alone
Stretching is widely praised for improving flexibility and range of motion, and it's often recommended as a warm-up or cool-down activity, however there’s also a large amount of outdated “evidence”. Relying solely on stretching can lead to imbalances in muscle strength and stability. What we’re actually increasing here is something called passive range. This is the range of motion I can move your joints through, without you necessarily having control over this. For instance, overstretching muscles without adequately strengthening them can increase joint laxity and reduce the structural support around the joint, certainly not something we want to do when pain is part of the equation.
The Superior Benefits of Strengthening
Strengthening exercises, on the other hand, build muscle mass, enhance joint stability, and increase bone density. These exercises involve resistance training, which not only improves the strength of the muscles but also fortifies the tendons and ligaments surrounding joints. By doing so, strengthening provides a more balanced support system for the body's structure than simply stretching alone. The best approach however is to increase the range of motion whilst owning that joint range.
Integrating Strengthening and Stretching for Optimal Health
While strengthening seems to offer more comprehensive benefits, integrating it with stretching can lead to optimal results. Ultimately what we want to create is an active joint range that is as close to our passive joint range as possible, therefore minimising the risk of injury (normally occurs in the angle between passive and active joint range). Moreover, after a strengthening session, static stretching can aid in recovery and muscle relaxation, helping to maintain flexibility without the risks associated with overstretching.
Whilst stretching is beneficial for maintaining flexibility, it should not be the sole focus of a fitness regimen. Strengthening exercises provide more substantial benefits in terms of injury prevention, muscle and joint health, and overall physical stability. For those looking to improve their fitness and protect against future injuries, focusing on strengthening while incorporating appropriate stretching techniques offers the best approach to a balanced and healthy physical regimen. If you’re a little lost on how to do this.
Drop me an e-mail or book a call in. I’ve been through a lot of physical pain in my life and I can understand how frustrating it can be with no North star to guide you. Let me be that North star.