The BEST WAY to Combine Lifting and Stretching **Build Muscle & Get Flexible**
Summary
TLDRThe video explores the relationship between resistance training and flexibility, challenging traditional beliefs that lifting builds muscle and stretching increases flexibility. New research shows that resistance training can improve flexibility as much as stretching, and static stretching can also contribute to muscle growth. However, each method is still better for its primary purpose—lifting for muscle and stretching for flexibility. The video offers practical advice on combining both approaches efficiently to maximize gains in both areas, based on specific goals and movements.
Takeaways
- 💪 Resistance training can improve flexibility as much as stretching.
- 📏 Stretching can build muscle and improve strength, though the effects are smaller and require a higher dose.
- 🧘 Resistance training is an effective way to improve mobility and flexibility while gaining strength.
- 🧐 Combining resistance training and stretching doesn't provide significantly better flexibility improvements than stretching alone.
- ⏳ Stretching alone isn't as effective for muscle growth compared to resistance training, unless you have limitations like no gym access or injuries.
- ⚖️ To maximize results, focus resistance training and flexibility routines on different muscle groups or movements to avoid redundancy.
- 🤸 Resistance training tends to improve mobility in specific areas, based on the exercises performed, but not in all areas.
- 🏋️ Certain exercises like Romanian deadlifts improve hamstring flexibility, but for areas like lumbar flexion or side splits, specific stretches are more effective.
- 🎯 Customizing your exercise routine to target both muscle growth and flexibility improvements based on movement selection is key.
- ⏱️ High-rep exercises with lighter weights can improve flexibility as they encourage more controlled movement and longer time under tension.
Q & A
What is the traditional view on building muscle and improving flexibility?
-The traditional view is that building muscle requires resistance training, like lifting weights, and improving flexibility requires stretching. These were seen as two separate goals requiring different approaches.
How are resistance training and flexibility training more closely related than previously thought?
-Recent evidence suggests that resistance training can improve flexibility to a similar extent as stretching, and stretching can also build muscle and improve strength, challenging the traditional separation of the two goals.
Can resistance training improve range of motion as effectively as stretching?
-Yes, resistance training can improve range of motion as much as stretching, although it depends on the exercises and how they're performed.
Can static stretching build muscle and increase strength?
-Yes, static stretching can increase muscle size and improve strength, though the gains are relatively small and dependent on doing a lot of stretching.
Why might static stretching not be ideal for building muscle?
-While static stretching can build muscle, it's generally less efficient than resistance training. In the time it takes to build muscle via stretching, you could achieve much greater gains with resistance training.
How can you combine resistance training and stretching to optimize both flexibility and muscle growth?
-The best approach is to prioritize resistance training for muscle growth and focus your stretching routine on areas that aren't fully covered by your lifting routine. This way, you get the benefits of both without unnecessary overlap.
Why doesn't resistance training alone improve overall mobility?
-Resistance training tends to improve mobility in specific areas related to the movements performed. For example, deadlifts improve hamstring flexibility, but they may not enhance shoulder mobility. Mobility improvements are specific to the exercises you do.
How can exercise selection influence flexibility improvements in resistance training?
-Choosing exercises that allow for a progressive increase in range of motion, like Bulgarian split squats or using platforms for deeper movement, can help improve flexibility. Focusing on movements that challenge flexibility helps gain mobility in those areas.
Why is focusing on different areas in lifting and stretching routines important?
-Focusing on different areas helps maximize the benefits of each type of training. Since resistance training already improves flexibility in certain areas, it's more efficient to target other areas in your stretching routine to avoid redundancy.
Is it practical to rely entirely on stretching for muscle gains?
-No, for most people, it's not practical or productive to rely solely on stretching for muscle gains. Resistance training is still the best and most efficient way to build muscle while improving flexibility.
Outlines
🏋️ Resistance Training and Flexibility: Surprising Connection
Traditionally, building muscle required weightlifting, and improving flexibility was achieved through stretching. However, recent evidence suggests that resistance training can improve flexibility to the same extent as stretching. Furthermore, static stretching can help build muscle, though the gains are modest. This challenges the previous notion that lifting and stretching are separate activities. The script discusses the interplay between the two, noting that resistance training improves both flexibility and mobility. The speaker acknowledges the nuanced differences between flexibility and mobility but uses the terms interchangeably for simplicity.
📊 Key Insights from Research: Stretching vs Resistance Training
A meta-analysis of 55 studies reveals two main findings: resistance training is as effective as stretching for improving range of motion, and combining both doesn't enhance flexibility more than stretching alone. Another meta-analysis of 42 studies found that static stretching increases muscle strength and size, but the effect is small and dose-dependent. The speaker highlights limitations in the research, particularly that not all muscles are affected equally by stretching. Some stretches even require specialized equipment, making them impractical for everyday use.
💡 Practical Takeaways: What Works Best
Resistance training remains the best way to build muscle, and stretching is still the most effective method for improving flexibility. While resistance training can improve flexibility, it isn't as efficient as stretching in doing so. The speaker suggests that, for most people, incorporating both methods in a well-structured routine is ideal. Stretching alone may build muscle for those without access to weights or with injuries, but lifting weights offers a more time-efficient approach to achieving both muscle and flexibility gains.
🔄 Movement-Specific Flexibility Approach
For optimal results, flexibility and mobility improvements should be approached on a movement-specific basis. You wouldn't expect to improve shoulder mobility by doing deadlifts, for example. Research shows resistance training can improve flexibility, but focusing on the same areas with both stretching and lifting may not offer extra benefits. Instead, the speaker recommends prioritizing resistance training for areas where it enhances flexibility and using stretching to address movements that lifting doesn't cover, such as spinal rotation or side splits.
🦵 Prioritizing Flexibility in Resistance Training
Some movements, like Romanian deadlifts, naturally enhance flexibility in areas like the hamstrings. The speaker advises focusing stretching routines on areas not covered by lifting exercises to maximize efficiency. For instance, while lifting can improve hamstring flexibility, lower back flexibility might require additional stretching. Other movements, such as side splits, are rarely addressed in typical resistance exercises, so these should be prioritized in a dedicated stretching routine.
🏋️♂️ Optimizing Lifting for Flexibility Gains
The speaker emphasizes that flexibility improvements from lifting depend heavily on exercise selection. Choosing exercises that allow for increased range of motion, such as Bulgarian split squats, can lead to better flexibility results over time. The speaker also suggests using higher rep ranges in certain exercises to encourage more controlled movement, allowing for greater stretching benefits. However, there is no clear guidance on how much lifting equates to a similar dose of stretching.
⏱️ Time Management: Balancing Muscle and Flexibility Goals
The speaker acknowledges the challenge of balancing muscle building and flexibility in limited time. They suggest prioritizing stretches that are not covered by lifting, reducing unnecessary overlap. The routine should depend on personal priorities and areas of focus. While static stretching plays a significant role in flexibility routines, dynamic movements are also essential for a comprehensive mobility routine.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Resistance Training
💡Flexibility
💡Range of Motion
💡Mobility
💡Static Stretching
💡Meta-Analysis
💡Dose-Dependent
💡Muscle Size
💡Exercise Selection
💡Rep Range
💡Progressive Overload
Highlights
Resistance training can improve flexibility and range of motion as effectively as stretching.
Combining resistance training and stretching doesn’t improve range of motion more than stretching alone.
Static stretching can improve strength and muscle size, but the effect is relatively small and dose-dependent.
Stretching alone isn't as effective for building muscle compared to resistance training, unless injuries or access issues prevent lifting.
Spending time lifting can result in muscle gains and flexibility improvements, whereas stretching will mostly enhance flexibility with minimal muscle gains.
Resistance training is an efficient way to improve flexibility in specific muscle groups when done intentionally.
Flexibility improvements through resistance training are specific to the movements and muscles involved in those exercises.
Lifting routines should focus on exercises that allow a progressive increase in range of motion for flexibility improvements.
You can prioritize flexibility improvements from lifting and focus stretching on areas not adequately covered by resistance training.
Examples of exercises for flexibility gains include Romanian deadlifts for hamstrings and Bulgarian split squats for deep hip flexion.
Some flexibility goals, like side splits and spinal rotation, are better addressed through stretching than lifting.
Higher rep ranges in resistance training can encourage more controlled reps, improving both muscle growth and flexibility.
Flexibility improvements are dose-dependent, but we don’t know the exact dose of resistance training required compared to stretching.
Specific areas of focus for flexibility should vary depending on individual movement goals and muscle targets.
A balanced routine incorporates both lifting for flexibility gains and targeted stretching for areas not addressed by lifting.
Transcripts
traditionally if you wanted to build
some muscle you'd lift some weights and
if you wanted to improve your
flexibility you'd do some stretching and
most of us would view these as to
entirely separate goals requiring
different approaches but in recent years
more and more evidence emerges that
these two things might be more closely
related than once thought if I told you
that resistance training can improve
your range of motion you might not be
surprised but if I told you it can
improve your range of motion as much as
stretching that's a bit more interesting
at least to me and going the other way
is even more surprising or less
intuitive static stretching alone can
actually build muscle and improve
strength so where we once thought lift
equals build muscle and stretch equals
get flexible we're now at a point where
it appears that both can do both but to
what extent under what circumstances and
can you actually use any of this to
develop a lifting routine and a
stretching routine that complement each
other I think so otherwise I wouldn't
have made this video before we move on I
want to make it clear that I am aware of
the difference between mobility and
flexibility I'm still just going to use
the terms fairly interchangeably in this
video despite that being actual heresy
mainly because resistance training
improves both flexibility and range of
motion which means it also improves
Mobility but also because most of the
time when normal people are talking
about getting more flexible they
actually mean improving their Mobility
you can always just assume that I'm
talking broadly about becoming a more
bendy human you know what I mean just
been able to get in mad shapes create
abstract Silhouettes Lifting for
Mobility I want to start with two main
points from a meta analysis that that
looked at the combined results of 55
studies first resistance training was
just as good as stretching at increasing
range of motion or at least the
difference wasn't statistically
significant second combining resistance
training and stretching didn't seem to
improve range of motion any more than
stretching alone these two points are
important because they're going to
inform how we approach building our
routine later so we'll come back to
these stretching for gains again a meta
analysis that this time looked at the
combined results of 42 individual
studies and again two main points first
static stretching can fairly reliably
improve strength and increase muscle
size second the effect seems both
relatively small and dose dependent
meaning you might have to do a lot of
stretching to get a small amount of
gains and when you start to look at some
individual studies you find a couple
more potential limitations on how useful
stretching might actually be for the
purpose of muscle growth one is that not
all muscles or areas of the same muscle
are affected equally that's not ideal
because for muscles that haven't been
the subject of This research which often
focuses on carves or chest muscles we
don't really know if or how they'll be
affected another is that quite often
specialized equipment was needed to
facilitate the stretches not going to be
wrong you can buy one of those weird
foot things but I mean are you really
going to strap that on every night and
try and eek out some minor calf gains
it's definitely not the behavior of well
adjusted
mentally sound member of society is it
don't really see how you could own one
of those
whilst simultaneously having friends
anyway no judgment of course just make
sure you put it away before anyone comes
over all right that's enough science for
today let's just get to the real world
application this is what I think first
the obvious resistance training is still
the best way to build muscle and
stretching still the best way to get
flexible it is true that resistance
training can improve your mobility and
stretching can build muscle but they
aren't equally good at those things
resistance training is a valid means of
improving your Mobility it's quite
effective particularly if you're
intentional about it and it means that
you can do so whilst getting all the
other benefits of resistance training
stretching is not really a valid means
of gaining muscle for most people with
the exception being if you don't have
access to a gym or injuries are
preventing you from lifting and you do
have a lot of spare time on your hands
in that case it could be a viable way to
make some modest gains but for everyone
else it's just not practic or productive
and that's really because in the time it
takes to build muscle via a stretching
routine you could have created a
stronger muscle building stimulus by
lifting weights and still made some
quite good improvements to your
flexibility to give an oversimplified
example if you spend an hour lifting
every day and you structure that workout
well which I'll come to You'll build a
lot of muscle and you'll make some
really good flexibility improvements if
you spend an hour stretching every day
you'll make really good flexibility
gains still relatively little muscular
gains you know gains gains or to put it
another way you could replace some of
your stretching with a resistance
training and still get similar
flexibility improvements which is what
we'll try to do but you probably
couldn't replace some of your resistance
training with stretching and get similar
gains so how best should you combine
lifting and stretching if you want to
make gains and get more flexible well if
you have infinite time then the best
approach is probably to continue to
treat them as separate things because as
I said resistance training is still the
best way to build muscle and stretching
still the best way to improve your
flexibility for anyone else I think the
best approach is one that's movement
specific you see I've just been talking
quite generally so far in this video but
of course you don't do a deadlift and
expect to improve your shoulder Mobility
when he's trying to improve your
flexibility Andor Mobility then just as
you would with building muscle you need
to approach each area individually let's
just reiterate those earlier points
resistance training can be just as
effective at improving flexibility as
stretching and the combination of
resistance training and stretching
doesn't seem to provide greater
flexibility improvements than stretching
alone and what this means when applied
on a muscle specific or movement
specific level is that you can use
resistance training to improve your
flexibility for certain areas but then
doubling down on that by focusing on
those same specific areas in your
flexibility routine might not be
particularly beneficial because you're
likely already getting most of the
flexibility improvements from your
lifting routine so that probably isn't
the best use of time but why only
certain areas why can't you depend
solely on resistance training for
Mobility or you could ask that in a
slightly different way if studies say
resistance training is so good for
flexibility then you'd expect people who
resistance train often to have good
General Mobility why isn't that always
the case and the answer is simply
specificity any Mobility improvements
you get from your lifting routine will
be specific to the movements you perform
and the muscles and Joints involved in
those movements but there are still lots
of movements we don't do and therefore
lots of positions we never achieve via a
typical resistance training program
either because we don't care about
growing the muscles involved or because
it's just impractical or inefficient to
train them that way this is why I think
the best approach is to focus your
resistance training routine and your
flexibility routine primarily on
different areas reducing any overlap and
therefore making the most of each in
other words you try to get the most
flexibility improvements possible from
your lifting and then Focus your
stretching on the areas you can't
adequately cover let me give you some
examples therefore of how I go about
prioritizing things take Romanian
deadlift since you're performing hip
flexion mostly without spinal flexion
this is going to focus a stretch
predominantly on your hamstrings and
over time if you do them regularly they
will improve your hamstring flexibility
so instead of Performing stretches that
mimic this movement I might instead
prioritize stretches that do involve
lumbar flexion that way along with the
hamstring stretch I'm going to get a
lower back stretch that I don't usually
achieve through any of my lifts now take
something like the side splits this is a
pretty common flexibility goal but this
isn't one that's likely to be helped by
resistance training simply because there
aren't really many safe and practical
exercises that take you into this
position the closest common thing is
probably the adductor machine which
might have some carry over but that
involves hip flexion so it's not really
the same movement so that is something
that I'd focus more on in my flexibility
routine and another example like that of
something that's not typically achieved
through lifting is spinal rotation
so again that's something I'd give more
attention to in a flexibility routine
now I'm sure it's becoming apparent that
how well your lifting carries over into
your flexibility improvements depends
largely on your exercise selection and
that means it's important you choose
exercises that allow for a progressive
increase in range of motion let's say
I'm doing some traditional split squats
or some walking lunges the depth I
achieve is going to be limited by my
knee hitting the floor so there's an
inbuilt limit on my range of motion if I
swap these for bulg in Split squats I
can now stand my leading leg on a
platform which removes that limit and
enables me to get as deep as my range of
motion allows and over time if you do
this you will notice yourself being able
to sink deeper and deeper into that
Squat and you can make these adaptations
for a lot of exercises you can use
smaller plates or stand on a platform
for your rdls even with something like a
machine shoulder press you can gradually
increase the seat
height now to bring our split squat
example back to this principle of not
duplicating mov movements since I'm now
performing hip flexion with knee flexion
on one limb whilst performing hip
hyperextension on the other I can
probably afford to spend less time on
stretches like
this another thing I do where practical
is choose higher reps we know that
provided we train to within a sufficient
proximity to failure we can make similar
gains doing sets of six or sets of 15 so
whilst High Reps will have the same
effect on the muscle you build I think
in some instances they'll have a better
effect on flexibility improvements and
mainly that's just because higher reps
which also means lighter weight often
encourages more controlled reps people
might feel more confident reaching the
limits of their range of motion and
ultimately you'll spend longer total
time in those stretched positions and
that brings me to an important caveat we
know that flexibility improvements are
dose dependent but we don't know how the
dose of resistance training relates to
the dose of stretching I.E how much
lifting would we need to do to get
similar flexibility improvements as say
30 minutes of stretching we probably
can't just do three sets of rdls a week
and say right that's my hamstring
flexibility work done and this is why
I'm using terms like prioritize or focus
on because I don't think you could or
should wholly emit any of the core
stretches from your routine I just think
that you can do less of the ones that
will benefit from your lifting routine
to free up time for more of the ones
that don't of course your specific
routine will depend both on how you
prioritize building muscle versus
getting getting more flexible do you
care equally about those things or one
more than the other as well as in which
specific areas you care most about doing
each of those things and although I've
been referring more to static stretching
that would make up part of a flexibility
routine if we're going to be accurate
you'd likely also involve some more
Dynamic movements that make up an
overall Mobility routine anyway in a
world where each day is only 24 hours I
hope that helped you prioritize some
stuff
bye Jord Lenny is my hero
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