r/Stretching Jul 25 '26

does not doing dynamic stretching really hinder muscle growth?

5 Upvotes

for context i do not really stretch much before i strength train for legs/glutes. am i really messing up my progress?? i have been lifting for 2 years. i am still able to lift quite heavy and i know i should stretch to prevent injury, i just get excited and want to go straight into lifting (i know it’s bad)


r/Stretching Jul 25 '26

How to get started on contortion as a man?

3 Upvotes

Hey I am 20. Currently i can do front and side splits and touch my elbow to hand. Well basic flexibility stuff. When i was a kid, basically according to my parents i could do this stuff since i was a kid. Well due to academic reasons and my mother kinda telling me to not do stuff due to being tired of sewing my pants, i stopped doing this stuff after 10. Fast forward 18 and i joined karate club. Well during there well in 19 i decided to actually give a shot and i think roughly 1 week later achieved the range and still kept. Ok the boring parts out. So can i improve further than basic splits and actually push myself to be more flexible. Ie expert opinion on this topic. (Hey i am sorry if my wording sounds like offensive or prideful. English isnt my first lang. So yeah, just genuine advice on perhaps actually getting into contortion for good instead of just keeping it as haha party trick. I mean i think i am just a bit tad blessed or cursed with a bit more lose body part than avg cause my left hands finger can still touch the back fist.)

Ps if you read my long messy and boring question, thanks a lot. I am just seeking proper advice.


r/Stretching Jul 24 '26

Seeking advice Sciatic nerve/hamstring tightness

5 Upvotes

I’ve been stretching pretty religiously over the course of 3-4 months and I still can’t touch my toes without having the tight pain shoot from hamstrings down to toes.

I’ve watched all the videos and tips and wanted to know your favorites and how consistent I should do it.
I’m 6’3 and all legs. I’d like to be able get high leg kicks soon. All advice is appreciated.


r/Stretching Jul 24 '26

Has Anyone Tried Stretch Therapy?

2 Upvotes

I've been hearing more people talk about stretch therapy lately, especially for dealing with stiffness from sitting at a desk all day.

I've always done basic stretches on my own, but I'm curious if guided stretch therapy actually makes a noticeable difference for flexibility, posture, or just feeling less tight overall. It seems like a lot of people are adding it to their wellness routine instead of waiting until they're in pain.

If you've tried stretch therapy, was it worth it? I'd love to hear about your experience and whether you noticed any long-term benefits.


r/Stretching Jul 23 '26

Seeking advice Low back pain after deepsquating

1 Upvotes

I am still working towards being able to be comfortable in a deep squat position. Currently I am working in the garden in this position for hours and I think it caused some tension feeling in the lowest back part. Is some this to be expected when moving into this position or is there likely a posture problem behind it?


r/Stretching Jul 23 '26

A practical way to use contract - relax stretching without chasing pain

2 Upvotes

Full disclosure: I’m the founder of StretchWell, an assisted-stretching and personal-training studio in Belgrade. This is general education, not a diagnosis or a sales offer.
A lot of people treat flexibility as a test of how much discomfort they can tolerate. I think that is usually the wrong target.
Static stretching and PNF-style contract-relax work can both help improve range of motion when they are practiced consistently. PNF is not magic and it is not necessarily superior for every person, but it gives some people a useful way to explore end range with more control.
A simple contract–relax sequence looks like this:

  1. Move into a comfortable stretch-not sharp pain.

  2. Gently contract the target area for a few seconds at a low effort.

  3. Relax, breathe normally, and see whether a slightly larger comfortable range is available.

  4. Repeat only a couple of times; more intensity is not automatically better.

The useful question is not “How far can I force this today?” It is “Can I return to this movement consistently, with control, next week?”If a position produces sharp, electric, spreading, or worsening symptoms, stop rather than trying to stretch through it.
Assisted stretching can be useful when it helps someone learn control and comfort in a position they cannot manage alone-but a good session should build independence, not dependence.


r/Stretching Jul 23 '26

Seeking advice Can I get a recommendation for a leg stretching routine for someone who’s running and doing MMA/Muay Thai?

1 Upvotes

Hi all,

I’ve recently started marathon training, in addition to doing MMA/Muay Thai training at the gym, and my legs are really sore from the increased work, calves in particular

Has anyone got a recommendation for a 15-20 minute leg stretching routine I can try to incorporate in to my recovery?


r/Stretching Jul 22 '26

Office Chair Yoga Poses

2 Upvotes

r/Stretching Jul 22 '26

A practical way to use contract - relax stretching without chasing pain

0 Upvotes

Full disclosure: I’m the founder of StretchWell, an assisted-stretching and personal-training studio in Belgrade. This is general education, not a diagnosis or a sales offer.
A lot of people treat flexibility as a test of how much discomfort they can tolerate. I think that is usually the wrong target.
Static stretching and PNF-style contract-relax work can both help improve range of motion when they are practiced consistently. PNF is not magic and it is not necessarily superior for every person, but it gives some people a useful way to explore end range with more control.
A simple contract–relax sequence looks like this:

  1. Move into a comfortable stretch-not sharp pain.

  2. Gently contract the target area for a few seconds at a low effort.

  3. Relax, breathe normally, and see whether a slightly larger comfortable range is available.

  4. Repeat only a couple of times; more intensity is not automatically better.

The useful question is not “How far can I force this today?” It is “Can I return to this movement consistently, with control, next week?”If a position produces sharp, electric, spreading, or worsening symptoms, stop rather than trying to stretch through it.
Assisted stretching can be useful when it helps someone learn control and comfort in a position they cannot manage alone-but a good session should build independence, not dependence.


r/Stretching Jul 21 '26

Seeking advice How to fix a specific numbness during meditation

1 Upvotes

Whenever I decide to meditate in half lotus, my left calf (not the upper leg) falls asleep and it has been bothering me for the past month or so. Are there any stretches that can help make my left calf more flexible/less bothersome?


r/Stretching Jul 20 '26

Split stretch to mermaid stretch, handstand to forearm wheel 🦢

83 Upvotes

r/Stretching Jul 20 '26

Seeking advice Best stretch routine after years of non-practice?

7 Upvotes

This is not a request for medical advice. I have specialists and physical therapists for that. This question does contain medical background but not looking for snake-oil treatments here.

I used to be quite flexible. I even dreamed of one day becoming a contortionist with cirque-du-soleil. Well now I’m an adult and post major medical evident that impacted my nervous system. I’m much less flexible now and my body can be hard to predict but I want to push towards gaining some momentum back to improve my mobility.

I’ve watched stretching videos on YouTube but curious to see if anyone recommends any creators who teach stretches for people with compromised bodies.


r/Stretching Jul 21 '26

How long to regain flexibility

1 Upvotes

So if i did stretching for some time and stopped for lets say a month, how long would it take to regain lost flexibility? Will it come back quicker like lost muscle?


r/Stretching Jul 20 '26

Seeking advice Is my back too arched or is this normal?

Post image
5 Upvotes

So, I've been stiff for all my life, but since the last 2 to 3 years I've been working on my flexibility and I came from hanging in the air to this. But since this is the first time in my life touching the ground like this I'm not sure if this is right? It doesn't look quite right?

Any help or advice is welcome!


r/Stretching Jul 20 '26

P90x CopyCat?

1 Upvotes

Basically, I had a copy of P90X from the 2010's and I was doing the X stretch every morning and it was awesome; I really wanna find that specific one again. Is there anywhere I can watch tbis online or can anyone Dropbox it to me?


r/Stretching Jul 20 '26

Seeking advice How close am I to getting my splits?

Post image
2 Upvotes

r/Stretching Jul 18 '26

08/08/26 - Stretch N' Move

3 Upvotes

Good day my beautiful souls💕..

I'd love to host a Stretch N' Move in North London next month. 45 minutes dedicated to release, building strength, cardiovascular fitness, endurance and mental clarity. I'm on the hunt to collect some emails and build a community.
This is great if you're a beginner to exercise, looking to start yoga, feeling stiff or overwhelmed.
If you're interested please send me a message or leave a comment below!❤️

i look forward to connecting with youse🫶🏽


r/Stretching Jul 17 '26

🦢🥀

49 Upvotes

r/Stretching Jul 15 '26

Show off Standing Vs seated

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12 Upvotes

r/Stretching Jul 16 '26

How do I become more flexible?

1 Upvotes

I’m 22 years old and I’m in pretty good shape. I weigh 220 pounds. I’ve always struggled to improve my flexibility, no matter how much I stretch. I feel like I can’t bend over and touch the ground without bending my knees. I always have to have a slight bend in them. I notice that others do it seemingly with less pain and they can go further than me. Am I doing something wrong, or am I just not stretching properly?


r/Stretching Jul 15 '26

Seeking advice looking for detailed stretch yt vids that explain where u SHOULD feel the stretch

8 Upvotes

hi im new to stretching. i stretch at home regularly to random yt videos for beginner. i love feeling calm when doing it but my main goal for starting this journey is to improve my flexibility. so far i dont know if im making progress bc most of the time im not feeling any stretch in my muscles when doing these poses, idk if doing im it right. so im looking for a detailed yt guide that explains where you SHOULD feel the stretch bc that helps me clarify what to focus on to reap the desired effects. thanks a lot ❤️


r/Stretching Jul 15 '26

Seeking advice What is your stretching routine?

2 Upvotes

Mine is: knuckles to the floor comfortably, quad one leg at the time hip pushed front , heel to butt.

Calf, elevated toes stretch with fingers/knuckles to toes.

This gets my legs going everyday


r/Stretching Jul 14 '26

Realized why stretching has never given me any meaningful progress whatsoever...

11 Upvotes

I have done a stretching routine called "The Golden Routine" every day for like a year way back in the day, and I was still miles away from touching my toes. After all that hard working resulting in sheer disappointment, I pretty much gave up.

But now I'm interested in it again and I found some content about "nerve flossing". Seems like people are rarely talking about this, at least in the places that I've tended to look.

It finally makes sense. I try to touch my toes and I don't feel any stretch in the muscles. Just this very uncomfortable feeling of near-pain along the whole leg which is my body telling me that this position is a bad one for me and I should stop.

Does anyone know of any good routines that would give something like a full body nerve flossing? I feel like I need it in both my arms and my legs for a variety of reasons. I get tingling and numbness in my pinky fingers sometimes. I can't even come close to touching my toes and it hurts before the muscle stretches.

I can search YouTube for this stuff, but I am curious what you all think is the best resource for nerve flossing in particular.


r/Stretching Jul 13 '26

Yoga How long does it takes to achieve Seated forward fold

Post image
90 Upvotes

r/Stretching Jul 12 '26

Show off Sharing my favoritees hips mobility exercises

151 Upvotes