Importance of Flexibility for WEIGHTLIFTERS.. and why it shouldn’t get ‘pushed off to the side’

Of all aspects of strength training, stretching is the one part that is most often ignored by the majority of people. I won’t be the first to admit I haven’t always stretched after a gym session, but I’ve learnt the hard way! Don’t get me wrong, the last thing anyone wants to do after an intense workout is hang around ‘stretching off’ when you could be having dinner; or spend a session working on mobility when you could be getting a new PB. Trust me I’ve been there!

My own personal journey

Three years ago I had bad knee pain, lower back pain and my shoulders were so tight I couldn’t hold a barbell on my back. I incorporated flexibility training into my fitness program once a week just focusing on my problem areas. I am now lifting the heaviest I have ever lifted, squatting deeper with no knee pain at all, and my range of movement has improved drastically.

Many people often avoid stretching because they have never seen the benefits themselves OR because they are unaware of the reward. Once you understand the simple anatomy of stretching you can identify the importance of incorporating flexibility into your fitness program

So what is flexibility?

Flexibility training involves pushing the muscle elasticity beyond its limits and slightly ‘deforming the tissue’. For those who have attended stretch classes before.. this is why it is uncomfortable! This process can often cause microtears to the muscle fibres, which explains why you may sometimes feel sore the day after stretching!

One of the top five questions I get from students is “Won’t stretching make me weaker and hinder my performance?”

This is actually a MYTH! Stretching does the compete opposite! Adding mobility and flexibility training into your fitness program has been scientifically proven to optimise performance and reduce injuries. Increasing your range of motion and the flexibility of your muscle fibres actually increases the surface area of your muscles. Research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found intense stretching after working a muscle group has the potential to increase its mass by 318% in 28 days. This leads to better lifts as your body is able to cope with the stresses and strains of weightlifting.

What next?

For those who want to take their training to the ‘next level’ and increase their range movement and mobility, we have introduced stretch classes to the timetable at Barnsley Barbell. A range of flexibility and stretching techniques are used to combat all muscle groups releasing the build-up of lactic acid, tight knots and problem areas. These classes leave your body feeling revitalised and ready to hit that new PB!