Stretching Doesn’t Make You More Flexible
Are we still stretching before exercise to prevent injuries and make muscles longer?
Here’s the thing: muscles don’t actually lengthen from stretching. And if you’re still doing long, static holds before a workout, you might be slowing yourself down instead of warming up.
Here’s why:
When most people think of stretching, they picture the classic static stretch—holding a position for 30 seconds or more, like lying on the floor and pulling a leg toward your chest. It feels nice for some, but it’s not the best way to prepare your body for movement.
Your body adapts to whatever you do most, so if you spend a lot of time sitting and then suddenly jump into a workout, certain movements might feel tight or restricted. The old-school answer to this was stretching, but static stretching actually down-regulates the muscles. That means it temporarily reduces their ability to activate—exactly the opposite of what you want before lifting weights, running, or doing any kind of workout.
A better approach is to prepare your fascia—the connective tissue that surrounds and supports your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Fascia can become stiff and ‘sticky’ due to dehydration, lack of movement, poor posture, or muscle tension. That’s often why things feel tight—not because your muscles are too short.
Fascial mobilisers use gentle, whole-body movements to help your fascia glide more smoothly, making movement feel easier and more fluid. These techniques, inspired by Thomas Myers’ Myofascial Meridians, don’t actually change muscle length—they just help your body move better.
So… Can You Actually Lengthen a Muscle?
Well, no. And research backs this up. A 2014 study found that after six weeks of static stretching, there was no change in muscle or tendon length.
Muscles attach at fixed points on your bones, so they can’t physically lengthen in the way many people think. Instead, your ability to move through a greater range of motion is controlled by your nervous system. When you stretch into a position your body perceives as unsafe, nerve endings send a signal to stop you from going further. That’s your body protecting itself, not a lack of flexibility.
If you want better flexibility (or more accurately, range of motion), you need to work with your nervous system—not against it. Here are a couple of effective methods:
- Functional Range Conditioning (FRC) – A mobility system that helps you build better control at your end ranges by strengthening muscles in those positions. It tricks your nervous system into allowing more movement because your body feels safer.
- Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT) – Instead of stretching ‘tight’ muscles, MAT focuses on activating their weaker, opposing muscles. When those muscles fire properly, tightness often disappears because your body no longer feels the need to protect itself.
You can call these techniques ‘stretching’ if you want, but they don’t lengthen muscles like traditional stretching claims to. What they will do is improve how you move—without the frustration of stretching every day and seeing no real results.
So if you’ve been stuck in a stretching routine that isn’t working, maybe it’s time to try something new.
