Is it possible to stretch too often

His diagnosis: muscle weakness due to overstretching. He said that I needed to restore the power in my muscles to stabilize my joints. Stretching would give me a temporary feeling of release and relief, as it is truly beneficial for relaxing the nervous system, improving circulation, etc.

He told me that I needed to complement my yoga with resistance training like lifting weights, using more PNF proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitated stretching within my practice and even adding Kettlebells. Adding resistance training to my movement practice has been a revelation. My body feels good. I can now sit still on a six-hour flight and walk away without needing to crack my hips or spine! So yogis, if you find yourself with odd aches and pains, I ask you to take a closer look at where you might have actually created weakness from overstretching.

This has given my body, and the thousands of students who practice with me, a dynamically powerful physique that is truly balanced. Tissues are living; they can change and heal if given the right stimulation, a disciplined approach and the correct exercises to balance them.

For some this could mean more stretching; for others it might mean more strengthening, but always a combination of the two. You can consciously recondition your tissues. Just give it time, seek a skilled personal trainer or physical therapist , or join me at one of my events and your yoga practice will benefit more than ever! Yes, that may sound crazy. However, it is valuable advice. Delight in the good things but beware, overindulgence may cause you strife or grief in the end.

There are several factors a person should take into consideration before going to the extreme with stretching. To avoid potential injury, such as a pulled muscle, one must note the two types of stretching and their importance. Dynamic stretching requires additional movement and occurs before working out. Conversely, passive stretching happens while the body is stationary. By taking muscles through a full range of motion, the dynamic form of stretching is considered an ideal method for warming up the body for activity.

In addition to improving overall muscle function, warming up with dynamic stretches increases body temperature and prepares your heart and lungs for the physical undertaking.

Examples of dynamic stretches include controlled arm swings, legs swings, and torso twists. The second type of stretching that can help you avoid pulling a muscle is passive stretching. It is performed using some form of assistance which can leverage, your body weight, a stretching device, or another person and is beneficial when used during the cooling down phase after activity.

Assisted stretching can be successful in relieving muscle fatigue, spasms, and soreness. Due to its relaxing nature, passive stretches will also reduce core body temperature and heart rate. Why waste time sitting around when I could cram in more lifting? It hurt to learn that I was wrong—throbbed like hell, actually.

I hurt my hip doing a leg workout and going running the same day, and had to shut down. I called Doug Kechijian, D. A stretching expert, he told me that everyone has imbalances and mobility restrictions. They felt more like kung fu than calisthenics. Take the modified pigeon stretch. This pose helps redistribute that weight. As I sank into it, the painful area in my hip felt like it was being pulled apart—in a good way.

Other moves seemed meant for contortionists. Instead of reps, each was done for a series of extremely deep breaths, a signal for your body to release muscle tightness. I felt relief after the first day, so I kept the circuit up. On gym days it was my warmup. On rest days, I did it in the office or at home in front of the TV. It was totally worth it. Within a month my pain was a memory.