{"id":14510,"date":"2018-05-08T09:00:22","date_gmt":"2018-05-08T08:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/?p=14510"},"modified":"2022-08-30T16:16:49","modified_gmt":"2022-08-30T15:16:49","slug":"the-science-of-stretching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/the-science-of-stretching\/","title":{"rendered":"The Science of Stretching"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

As a scientist I am naturally curious \u2013 about everything. I ask myself questions some people would find a bit \u201cout there\u201d but hey, it\u2019s in my nature.<\/p>\n

I find that if we all understand WHY things happen or HOW things work we will be in a far better place to getting what we want; whether it’s to be stronger, bigger, smaller or\u2026 bendier!<\/p>\n

Anyone who follows me on Instagram knows I do love a good stretch (\u201cbending over backwards for the likes\u201d\u2026 see what I did there? Genius) and so I asked myself \u201cWhy do we get more flexible when we stretch<\/a> and what actually happens?\u201d<\/p>\n

So I did what I do best and conducted a 6 month experiment\u2026.<\/p>\n

Nah, I lie. I Googled.<\/p>\n

If you want to know WHY and HOW to get more flexible then this article is for you because what you\u2019ll read might actually surprise you!<\/p>\n

Muscle Anatomy 101<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Muscles are made up of skeletal muscle tissue (including long, striated units called sarcomeres), blood vessels, tendons, and nerves. Tendons connect bone to muscle and ligaments connect bone to bone \u2013 a lot to visualise here, but it\u2019s important! These are called \u201cconnective tissues\u201d because they\u2026 well, connect things. Scientists are famously unimaginative when it comes to naming things\u2026<\/p>\n

A major component of all of these connective tissues is a protein called collagen (it\u2019s not just for ridding the wrinkles!). There are many different types of collagen but with respect to flexibility there are two types with most importance. Type-1 collagen is rigid and strong and usually found in ligaments and tendons. Type-3 collagen is the \u201cstretchier\u201d kind and is also found in these tissues but in lower abundance. Another type of connective tissue found here is Elastin which as you\u2019ve probably guessed from its name is \u201celastic\u201d.<\/p>\n

Most people\u2019s musculoskeletal system is similar in its composition and ratio of collagen and elastin but it is this ratio (partly) that contributes to our flexibility.<\/p>\n

Science of Stretching \u2013 How does it work?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Modification of Sensation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Admit it; stretching is painful. Pain is a natural reflex system put in place to warn your body of potential danger or harm. When we stretch our bodies just aren\u2019t used to it and send alarm bells ringing.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, the more we stretch the less pain we feel \u2013 our bodies are getting used to it. Basically, we become \u201cnumb\u201d to the pain of stretching.<\/p>\n

Elongation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In the mini-anatomy lesson above I mentioned a particular type of tissue called a \u201csarcomere\u201d found in muscle tissue. These run the length of muscle fibres and as you stretch over time, some muscle tissues physically add more of these sarcomeres to the muscle thereby adding length and increased flexibility to the tissue itself.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all connected<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s not only your muscle tissue that stretches out \u2013 your ligaments and tendons (see, I told you they were important) do, too! It\u2019s thought that these tissues increase their water content which makes them slightly \u201cstretchier\u201d allowing you to go through a deeper stretch.<\/p>\n

Changes in physical composition<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Okay so this is a very \u201cscience-y\u201d paragraph but bear with me\u2026<\/p>\n

The act of stretching can activate Stem Cells (kind of like baby muscle and connective tissue cells) which grow up to form more type-3 collagen and elastin cells (remember the stretchy kind?). This increases flexibility not only by adding more length to the muscle but also by changing the physical composition of the muscles and tendons.<\/p>\n

A good way to think about this is that your body is adapting to stretching by changing the material the muscles are made of by making the muscle stretchier!<\/p>\n

Makes sense, right?<\/p>\n

How do I get more flexible?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I wish there was a magical answer for you guys; to gain flexibility without having to stretch (I know most people detest it!) but unfortunately that is the one and only way to increase flexibility.<\/p>\n

But! I have good news, too. Turns out you don\u2019t actually need as much as you think.<\/p>\n

Studies have shown that the most effective way to increase flexibility within a given muscle is by stretching it (statically \u2013 as in, a held stretch) for 45-60 seconds, 6 times a week and for a total of 6 minutes stretching per week.<\/p>\n

For example; if you want to increase flexibility in your hamstrings you should perform a static stretch for 45-60 seconds 6 times a week (totalling about 5-6 minutes\/week). Voila!<\/p>\n

While increasing the time spent stretching the muscle to 7 or 8 minutes per week will result in greater flexibility gains anything beyond 10 minutes per week appears to have no additional impact.<\/p>\n

It is also important to note that studies have also shown that it is the FREQUENCY (i.e. stretching 6 or 7 days a week) rather than the DURATION (1 or 2 minutes) that really matters here. So if you\u2019re going to stretch \u2013 do it often and not just once a week for a long, painful time.<\/p>\n

Take home message<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s actually really simple! What I tend to do is \u201csneak\u201d stretches into my day. I might stretch quickly in between sets during training or when I\u2019m waiting on the microwave to \u201cbing\u201d my cereal! Just sneak them in like that and you won\u2019t even notice them but as I\u2019ve mentioned \u2013 it is the FREQUENCY that counts.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m really stretching myself thin here trying to find a pun to end the article with so I\u2019ll leave it at this; GET TO STRETCHIN\u2019!<\/p>\n

Bonus: You\u2019ll be really, really good at Twister.<\/p>\n

About the Author<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Michelle<\/a>\u00a0is a scientist, an athlete and a writer and she\u2019s proud to have faced her demons head on and she\u2019s beating them. In weight lifting she found an outlet to help change her life \u2013 and she\u2019s loving it! Follow her journey with BULK POWDERS\u00ae.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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