8 Stretching Mistakes Most People Make

…And how to avoid them.

by Brad Walker | Updated August 26, 2024

Watch the video below, and then check out the 8 common stretching mistakes most people make when stretching, and more importantly, how to avoid them.

#1. Stretching an injury

Choosing the right type of stretching during your injury rehab will have a tremendous effect on the speed of your recovery, while choosing the wrong type could lead to further injury and a very slow recovery. So, what type of stretching is best?

#2. Stretching too hard

Stretching too hard is one of the biggest stretching mistakes I see people make. Many people believe that to get the most out of their flexibility training they need to push their stretching to the extreme. This may work with strength training and even cardiovascular training, but not with stretching. Let me explain why.

When the muscles are stretched too hard or to the point of pain, the body employs a defense mechanism called the stretch reflex. This is the body’s safety measure to prevent acute damage occurring to the muscles, tendons, and joints. The stretch reflex protects the muscles and tendons by contracting them, thereby preventing them from being stretched.

So, to avoid the stretch reflex, avoid pain. Never push the stretch beyond what is comfortable. Only stretch to the point where tension can be felt in the muscles. This way, injury will be avoided, and you’ll get the most from stretching.

#3. Not holding the stretch long enough

For static and passive stretching, some texts recommend holding the stretch for as little as 10 seconds. This is a bare minimum. 10 seconds is just enough time for the muscles to relax and start to lengthen. For any real improvement to flexibility, each stretch should be held for at least 30 to 60 seconds and repeated at least two or three times.

#4. Doing the same stretch over and over again

Doing the same stretch repeatedly is another one of the most common stretching mistakes I see.

Including a variety of stretches in your training program is especially important for avoiding muscle imbalances. While an athlete may go to the gym every day, no intelligent athlete would do the same set of exercises every day, day after day. The same approach applies to flexibility training; while it is okay to do flexibility training every day, it’s not a clever idea to do the same stretches every day, day after day.

#5. Trying to stretch everything

Generally, if it’s not tight and it’s not causing you any problems, you don’t need to stretch it. There are a few exceptions to this (such as athletes that require increased flexibility for their chosen sport), but for most people this is a wise rule to follow.

So, if you perform a stretch and you don’t feel any tension in the target muscle group, this will indicate that you’re not tight in that area.

As you start to notice which muscles are tight and which muscles aren’t, aim to create a balance of flexibility between the front of your body and the back of your body, and the left side of your body and the right side of your body. For example, if you notice that your right hamstring muscles are tighter than your left hamstrings muscles, work on the right hamstring muscles until you have even flexibility in both.

For more details on why trying to stretch everything is a bad idea, watch my Full-Body Stretching Myth video.

#6. Stretching cold

Trying to stretch muscles that have not been warmed up, is like trying to stretch old, dry rubber bands; they may snap. This is one of the stretching mistakes that can lead to a muscles strain injury.

A proper warm up prior to stretching does a number of beneficial things, but primarily its purpose is to prepare the body and mind for more strenuous activity. One of the ways it achieves this is by increasing the body’s core temperature while also increasing the body’s muscle temperature. This helps to make the muscles loose, supple, and pliable, and is essential to ensure you get the most from stretching.

# 7. Holding your breath

Many people unconsciously hold their breath while stretching. This causes tension in the muscles, which in turn makes it difficult to stretch. To avoid this, remember to breathe slowly and deeply during all stretches. This helps to relax the muscles, promotes blood flow, and increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles.

#8. Looking for a quick fix

When someone starts a diet, they understand that it’s going to take time before they see results. Likewise, when someone starts going to the gym, they understand that it’s going to take time before they start getting stronger. And the same is true with stretching.

Doing a few quick stretches before playing your sport or going to the gym isn’t going to make you any more flexibility. If you want to see improvements in your flexibility, there are no shortcuts, you need to engage in regular, consistent flexibility training over the long term.

Many of these common stretching mistakes can be effortlessly avoided by incorporating just a few simple adjustments into your exercise routine, leading to more effective and safer workouts.