Why You MUST Stretch…Until You DIE.

This guest post was written by one of my former karate students, Tavis Strong.   Tavis is very passionate about martial arts, physical fitness, stretching, and most all, learning.  Recently, he achieved fitness trainer and massage therapist certification. With his thirst for knowledge, his strong work ethic, and his desire to serve others, Tavis is well on his way to becoming the best at what he does.

“Men are born soft and supple; dead, they are stiff and hard. Plants are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry. Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death. Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life. The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail.”  – Lao Tzu

Stretching is the act of elongating tissue. Flexibility is the range of motion a joint possesses. Mobility is how smoothly one can take that joint through it’s range of motion. Flexibility and mobility is often used interchangeably but are completely different. A person can have one but not the other. And, when it comes to training mobility is usually easier and more immediate to achieve then flexibility.

It seems more and more people have been questioning the benefit of flexibility. I believe this is due to the lack of progress many people make, despite their best efforts. This can be quit discouraging, causing some to belittle flexibility and overcompensate in other attributes such as strength and cardio. So, in order to remind you of why we must pursue flexibility, here is a list of benefits.

1. Stretching increases your ability to build muscles. Just like strength training, stretching creates micro-tears in the muscle sheath allowing for nutrients and muscle growth.
2. Flexibility increases your ability to produce energy. Power creation starts with your ability to contract your muscles. However, depending on the activity, the body must be relaxed in order for the energy to transfer to it intended target. Any restriction in your range of motion will cause the energy to be lost. Think of your body as a whip, if the whip is stiff and brittle the energy from the wrist cannot transfer throughout the whip.
3. Flexibility increases the ability to receive energy. Energy transference is a two way street. When you are flexible your ability to absorb impact increases. It allows the body to mold in an efficient manner transferring the energy out the body safely.
4. Flexibility makes learning new physical attributes easier. Your muscles are like a computer that can only hold a certain amount of information, “muscle memory”. When there is too much or undesirable information in the muscle you do not have room for new learning patterns “muscle memory”. Stretching is like cleaning your computer.
5. Flexibility improves overall aesthetics of movements. Increased flexibility and mobility will allow a persons movements to look smoother, more relaxed, and complete. Many people tend to separate practicality and aesthetics. However, a persons posture and movements can have it own energy and influence on people from a distance.
6. Flexibility is a reflection of your state of mind. As you begin to study more about flexibility you will find muscular tension is a buildup of habits and experiences, physical and psychological. The desire to increase one’s flexibility is not just a desire to perform impressive movements, it’s a desire to release the accumulated baggage one holds on to over the years. In massage they call this an emotional release.

Remember, we are not born strong, endurant, or agile, but flexible. And, it is upon flexibility that we build the physical skills of the human body.

Tavis Strong

Certified Fitness Trainer & Massage Therapist

Body Limber

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“This is the book that people tell their friends about, that trainers suggest for virtually every sport and activity, and that medical professionals recommend to people just starting to get back in shape. Stretching first appeared in 1980 as a new generation of Americans became committed to running, cycling, aerobic training, and workouts in the gym — all of which are commonplace now.

It features stretching routines specific to a variety of people, including sports enthusiasts, travelers, children, gardeners, and people in wheelchairs. There is also an abbreviated version of each routine for people in a hurry, new information on the stretching vs. warming up debate, and new and improved drawings. This 30th anniversary edition features two-color inks to better define the muscle groups helped by each stretching exercise. A new section focuses on office fitness exercises, helpful for both home and office computer users.”

Total Stretch for Beginners with Tamilee (DVD)