Essentials: Improve Flexibility with Research-Supported Stretching Protocols
6/18/202636 min
In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, I explain the biology of flexibility and discuss the organ systems that shape range of motion and limb flexibility. I also discuss different types of stretching, which methods are most effective, and practical tools for timing stretching relative to exercise. Finally, I provide specific protocols for how intensely and how often to stretch to maximize flexibility, support exercise performance, and offset age-related losses of flexibility.
Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com.
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Timestamps
(00:00:00) Flexibility
(00:00:22) Muscle, Nerves & Connective Tissue; Range of Motion
(00:03:16) Golgi Tendon Organs, Load Sensing
(00:04:41) von Economo Neurons, Body Discomfort, Stretch Relaxation
(00:11:11) Sponsor: LMNT
(00:12:43) Types of Stretching: Dynamic, Ballistic, Static & Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)
(00:15:43) Tool: Static Stretching Protocol, Frequency
(00:18:33) Warming Up for Stretching, Exercise
(00:20:37) Sponsor: Eight Sleep
(00:21:55) Static Stretching & Aging
(00:22:18) Tool: Anderson Method, Feeling the Stretch
(00:23:44) Low Intensity Stretching, Tool: "Micro-Stretching"
(00:27:22) Should You Stretch Before Exercise?
(00:29:01) Sponsor: AG1
(00:30:20) Insula, Pain Tolerance & Yoga
(00:35:10) Recap of Stretching Protocols
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsAndrew Huberman· Host0:00
Welcome to Huberman Lab Essentials, where we revisit past episodes for the most potent and actionable science-based tools for mental health, physical health, and performance. [upbeat music] I'm Andrew Huberman, and I'm a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. Today, we are going to discuss the science and practice of flexibility and stretching. The important thing that I'd like you to know is that flexibility and the process of stretching and getting more flexible involves three major components: neural, meaning of the nervous system, muscular, muscles, and connective tissue. Connective tissue is the stuff that surrounds the neural stuff and the muscular stuff, although it's all kind of weaved together and braided together in complicated ways. So here's a key thing that everyone should know, whether or not you're talking about flexibility or not. Your nervous system controls your muscles. It's what gets your muscles to contract. So within your spinal cord, you have a category of neurons, nerve cells, that are called motor neurons. Those neurons release a chemical. That chemical is called acetylcholine. The release of acetylcholine from these nerve cells, these neurons, onto the muscles causes the muscles to contract. And when muscles contract, they are able to move limbs by way of changing the length of the muscle, adjusting the function of connective tissue like tendons and ligaments. Now, within the muscles themselves,