• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

  • Fitness
  • Workouts
    • Best Shoulder Workouts
    • Best Chest Workouts
    • Best Leg Workouts
    • Best Leg Exercises
    • Best Biceps Exercises
    • Best Kettlebell Exercises
    • Best Back Workouts
    • Best HIIT Workouts
    • Best Triceps Exercises
    • Best Arm Workouts
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Pre-Workouts
      • Best Whey Protein
    • Equipment
      • Best Home Gym Machines
    • Certifications
      • ISSA Review
  • News
  • Exercise Guides
    • Legs
      • Back Squat
      • Bulgarian Split Squat
      • Goblet Squat
      • Zercher Squat
      • Standing Calf Raise
      • Hack Squat
    • Chest
      • Bench Press
      • Dumbbell Bench Press
      • Close-Grip Bench Press
      • Incline Bench Press
    • Shoulders
      • Overhead Dumbbell Press
      • Lateral Raise
    • Arms
      • Chin-Up
      • Weighted Pull-Up
      • Triceps Pushdown
    • Back
      • Deadlift
      • Trap Bar Deadlift
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Inverted Row
      • Bent-Over Barbell Row
      • Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
      • Pendlay Row
Fitness

Make Weighted Stretching Work for You

Flexibility with little strength through an increased range of motion (ROM) does very little for a person and can be a set up for injury.

Chris Lofland

Written by Chris Lofland Last updated on June 1, 2018

Photo by Bev Childress

Photo by Bev Childress

Many people focus on static passive stretching as a means to increase mobility. I’m here to tell you that it may accomplish this, it’s true, but there is a better way. In my opinion, passive static stretching in adults does very little. Weighted mobility is the approach I take with my athletes and in my Gymnastic Strength Program.

There are three types of clients I come across most often. Are you one of these?

  • Flexible + Weak
  • Strong + Tight
  • Tight + Weak

Weighted mobility can help in each of these situations.

Flexible + Weak

Flexibility with little strength through an increased range of motion (ROM) does very little for a person and can be a set up for injury. There is little benefit to being able to place your body through a wide ROM if you have no control over it. Take for example forward folding your face and torso to your knees while standing with straight legs compared to hanging and lifting your legs towards your face in a leg raise.

Weighted mobility forces these types of athletes to control and strengthen their already wide ROM. It is a misconception that they need to “tighten up.” They just need to get stronger. Applying resistance is a perfect way to achieve this. Don’t force these athletes to lose their flexibility, teach them to own it.

Strong + Tight

This section is for those who are strong and have large muscles but can barely move. We’ve all seen these individuals. They have plenty of strength but struggle to get down on the ground. They work up more of a sweat during stretching than any other part of their workout and find navigating through a narrow space the biggest obstacle they’ve ever encountered.

These individuals have such bulky muscles and so much tension that they practically get nothing out of just reaching for their toes. They need something pulling them down, fatiguing the muscles slightly so that they can increase their ROM. This application of a resistive force leads to connective tissue adaptation.

Weak + Tight

These folks are our desk workaholics. Years of sitting and not doing any ROM exercises has pulled their shoulders forward. It has shortened their hip flexors and caused their hamstrings to become extremely tight, among other mobility issues. It should be obvious at this point what the solution for these individuals is—weighted active stretching will both strengthen and increase the ROM for your classic “workaholic.”

Weighted Stretching Has Many Benefits

There are many ways to move, increase range of motion, and strengthen muscle. The benefit of weighted stretching is that it covers a lot while doing a little. Any time we can condense our training into movements that give us more bang for the buck, I’m all for it. This helps free up time to train what is more fun or sport-specific. Try it out. See what incorporating weighted mobility into your routine can do for you.

Chris Lofland

About Chris Lofland

Chris Lofland coached and competed in the sport of gymnastics for over a decade. In 2007 he became a CrossFit coach and began coaching the CrossFit Gymnastics certifications. Since then, Chris has started his own seminar series covering gymnastics, weightlifting, and general movement. In 2016, he opened up BlueWave Fitness in Fort Worth, TX, where he coaches general fitness, performance fitness, weightlifting, and competitive Crossfit athletes.

View All Articles

Recommended Articles

chrisloflandshoulderextensions
Balance Your Upper Body by Training Shoulder Extension
hangingforshoulderhealth1
Hanging for Shoulder Health
mobilityoverheadkettlebell
Grade Your Mobility With Kettlebell Overhead Squats
Hugh Jackman Deadpool 3 Workouts Spring:Winter 2023
Hugh Jackman Returns to Wolverine Condition in Workouts for “Deadpool 3”

Primary Sidebar

Latest Articles

Derek Lunsford, Nick Walker, And Other Men’s Open Stars Will Guest Pose at 2023 Pittsburgh Pro

Shaun Clarida Wants To Break Flex Lewis’ 212 Olympia Title Record

The Best Bodybuilding Workout for Each Body Part

Jay Cutler Shares How To Construct An “Olympia” Chest

Latest Reviews

ISSA Personal Trainer Certification Review

ISSA Personal Trainer Certification Review

Best Whey Proteins for Packing on Muscle, Shredding Down, Meal Replacement, and More

Best Pre-Workouts for Building Muscle, Running, Taste, and More

Best Home Gym Machines

Best Home Gym Machines

woman lifting barbell

Be the smartest person in your gym

The Breaking Muscle newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I WANT IN!

Breaking Muscle is the fitness world’s preeminent destination for timely, high-quality information on exercise, fitness, health, and nutrition. Our audience encompasses the entire spectrum of the fitness community: consumers, aficionados, fitness professionals, and business owners. We seek to inform, educate and advocate for this community.

  • Reviews
  • Healthy Eating
  • Workouts
  • Fitness
  • News

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed

© 2023 · Breaking Muscle · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Affiliate Disclaimer · Accessibility · About