The BEST WAY to Combine Lifting and Stretching **Build Muscle & Get Flexible**

Summary

The 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

00:00

🏋️ 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.

05:00

📊 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.

10:02

💡 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.

Keywords

💡Resistance Training

Resistance training refers to a type of physical exercise that involves working against a force or resistance, such as lifting weights, to build muscle strength and endurance. In the video, it is discussed as a method that not only builds muscle but can also improve range of motion and flexibility, challenging the traditional view that lifting equals muscle building and stretching equals flexibility.

💡Flexibility

Flexibility is the ability of a muscle or joint to move through its full range of motion without pain. The video script explores the relationship between flexibility and resistance training, suggesting that resistance training can improve flexibility, which is traditionally associated with stretching exercises.

💡Range of Motion

Range of motion (ROM) is the extent to which a joint can move. The script mentions that resistance training can improve ROM as much as stretching, indicating that there is a direct relationship between the two that was not widely recognized in the past.

💡Mobility

Mobility refers to the ability to move freely and easily. The video script uses the terms 'flexibility' and 'mobility' interchangeably, highlighting that resistance training can improve both, which means it can help individuals become more 'bendy' or capable of achieving various physical positions.

💡Static Stretching

Static stretching involves holding a stretch for an extended period. The video discusses how static stretching can build muscle and improve strength, which is a less intuitive benefit compared to its more recognized role in improving flexibility.

💡Meta-Analysis

A meta-analysis is a statistical approach that combines the results of multiple studies to draw broader conclusions. The script cites meta-analyses that looked at the combined results of numerous studies to establish the relationship between resistance training, stretching, and their effects on flexibility and strength.

💡Dose-Dependent

Dose-dependent effects imply that the impact of a treatment or exercise is directly proportional to the amount or intensity of the treatment. The video mentions that the effect of stretching on muscle growth is dose-dependent, meaning more stretching might lead to more, albeit small, gains in muscle size.

💡Muscle Size

Muscle size refers to the volume or mass of muscle tissue. The video discusses how both resistance training and stretching can influence muscle size, with resistance training being more effective for building muscle.

💡Exercise Selection

Exercise selection pertains to choosing specific exercises for a workout routine. The script emphasizes the importance of selecting exercises that allow for a progressive increase in range of motion to maximize flexibility and muscle gains.

💡Rep Range

Rep range refers to the number of repetitions performed in a set of an exercise. The video suggests that higher rep ranges might be more beneficial for flexibility improvements because they often involve lighter weights and more controlled movements, allowing individuals to reach the limits of their range of motion.

💡Progressive Overload

Progressive overload is the gradual increase of stress placed upon the body during exercise to cause improvements in strength and muscle size. The video implies that resistance training should be structured to allow for progressive overload to build muscle and improve flexibility.

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