Strength Versus Flexibility

It seems that whenever I gain strength, I loose a little bit of flexibility. It is a constant struggle for me to keep things balanced. I try to work on flexibility just as much as I work on my strength. I do my workouts during the day and focus on flexibility before bed. I have discovered that when I stretch at night, I feel so much better the next day. I also do some stretches in the morning depending on how I feel and what my schedule allows. Although I limit my strength training to approximately four to five times a week, I do however do some sort of yoga for flexibility everyday.

This may seem excessive to most people but I want to maintain both strength and flexibility as I age. Focusing on both gets challenging because the more developed your muscles are, the less flexible you become. It seems like you are either strong OR flexible. I would say I am more on the flexible side right now but I hope I can find that harmonious balance soon.

So why might strength inhibit flexibility? First, it is important to understand how bones, the surrounding tissue and your muscles all influence a joint and its ability to move. When muscles are overworked, muscles become stiff and thus inhibit flexibility. In addition, individuals with a lot of muscle mass may have limited flexibility due to their training habits. Weight training that involve limited range of motion leads to shortened muscle fibers as well as tight connective tissues.

There are some things you can do to prevent loss of flexibility as you strength train. Some options include using a full range of motion while strength training as well as regularly stretching. If you put in the work, you will see results!