Is Stretching Really Helping?

How do you know when to ditch the stretch and try something else?

I am a personal trainer and I don't program stretching. Full Stop. I have a dynamic warm-up that I put my clients through and have added to my programs that will help prime the body for movement while sneaking some mobility work in. However, I do not have specific stretches or routines that I put into my work or with clients. With my in-person clients, I often allow the last 2-3 minutes of our session to be a casual time to stretch. This is a time for me to make sure we are still achieving the goals of the client, button up our schedules and unwind with my client. I will instruct them "we are just stretching out now" but I will not give them anything specific unless they ask. Usually, we just chat and they do what they feel is important at that moment.

Here's why: I assess my clients especially when they complain of tightness and I am constantly asking "how does that feel" as they move. I know, what does that have to do with stretching?! Well, a lot. By taking an inventory of how their body is moving in space, understanding what part of the body may be taking over or compensating when working with a client, and understanding where the pain is being felt, I can help them strengthen appropriately.

Let me give an example that can make this a lot clearer. Take a pregnant and postpartum woman. As the baby grows, so does the mom's belly, and the abdominal wall has to stretch. This can compromise the strength and function of her abs. When the abs are shut off or weak, the back may try and take over to keep the body upright. This could lead to tightness and pain in the back (lower or upper). Very often, the patterns developed in pregnancy will continue into postpartum. So you may see a mom who experienced back pain during pregnancy spending quite a bit of time with back pain or tightness and trying to stretch it out.

That was me for sure. I spent most of my youngest daughter's tummy time in Child's pose. Then as I started getting back into more intense workouts and finishing my PCES certification, I realized how checked out and weak my lower abdominals had become! I spent quality time trying different exercises, moving slowly, and trying to figure out to fire those bad boys again. Amazingly, I haven't had back pain since I woke them up a bit. In fact, I sometimes forget Child's pose is a thing now (well not really, but it isn't part of my routine anymore at all).

When we have tightness, our go-to is to find the best stretch. However, if you are stretching over and over and nothing is changing, it could be telling you more than you realize! Having a physical therapist or a personal trainer with the knowledge to assess your body, understand what feels bad and how to improve it can really be a lifelong game changer. It is so important to understand the how, the why, and the plan. Having a full-body approach to fitness can really save you endless hours of stretching.

I will leave you with the same advice I give my clients when they ask, "Let's work together and figure out the root cause of the problem. Once we have the cause, we can come up with an amazing plan to fix it, if you would like stretching to be a part of that, it certainly can be. If stretching is still something you enjoy, then, by all means, continue to do so."

If you want to dive a little deeper and ask more questions feel free to join our Moms Fit Life Facebook Group today!

I also have lots of great programs as well as a Fit Guide for you to try today. I offer some private courses that cannot be purchased without an email to me!

Reach out if you have any further questions at any time!

Jen@momsfitlife.com

Live your life confidently!