Gain Muscle by Stretching Says Study

hip flex stretching A new study from the kinesiology department at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge suggests that stretching my have more health benefits that previously thought.

According to professor Arnold Neslon, the study’ author, stretching has the greatest benefits for people who are too weak or tired to lift weights or take on more strenuous exercise.

Nelson says stretching works in very similar ways to strength training with weights, but on a smaller scale. Lab results have long showed that stretching offers strength benefits in rats, but this is the first study to show that there is a muscle-gain effect in humans as well.

The study involved 38 sedentary people. They were each divided into one of two groups. The first group did not stretch during the 10-week test period, while the other group was part of program that required 40 minutes of stretching several times per week.

The second group not only demonstrated greater flexibility at the end of the study - as would be expected - but they also increased their overall strength, including endurance and one-rep max on strength-building machines. Their vertical jump increased, as did their standing long jump. Those in the control group did not see any improvement.

Now does all of this prove that stretching can help you gain muscle? We’re not sure. It seems more likely that a greater flexibility in the muscle simply helps it reach its maximum potential. With that said, reaching the maximum potential while weight training certainly would help you gain more muscle.