Stretching is Not Enough
If you feel like you've been stretching a tight muscle forever and not making progress, you're not alone. Most people do static stretches and some myofascial release (foam rolling), either on their own or in stretching or yoga classes. These are valuable techniques but they may not be enough to get the results you want and may not target you individualized needs. Muscles become tight from extended periods of sitting and repetitive motion. Remember isometric exercises? Exercises where you hold a muscle in a contracted position to strengthen it? Sit in front of a computer for extended periods of time and you're doing isometrics. Literally strengthening and shortening the hip flexors, upper trapezius, chest lats, and anterior shoulder muscles. At the same time, you're stretching and lengthening the glutes, middle trapezius and rhomboids and shoulder external rotators. If a muscle is tight and short, the antagonist or opposite muscle is ex...