Tight muscles can hold you back in fitness. If you aren’t loose, you can’t move well and that wreaks havoc on the quality of your workouts. But stretching isn’t always the answer. Here are some other factors that may be leading to stiffness and how you can overcome them.
Muscles Get Tight Because They’re Getting Stretched
The neck, for one example, is a common place to feel stiff. But stretching the neck often won’t help. That’s because most of us, who spend too much time sitting, have poor posture. This classic slouchy position – head forward, shoulders rounded, chest sunken – literally pulls on the neck muscles. It’s like streching a rubber band—the more you pull, the tighter it gets. This is what leaves you feeling like you need a serious neck massage. It also means the neck massage won’t fix the problem.
To fix the problem you must stop the head and shoulders from pulling on the neck muslces. Stretching not your neck but rather your chest muscles, strengthening the back of your body, and getting your head back in alignment will do the trick.
Muscles Get Tight Because Of Instabilities
Sometimes muscles are tight because they are trying to protect something. For example, if your core is weak and your spine is not as stable as it should be, the low back can become stiff. That’s the body trying to bring stability to the area. Stretching won’t help and may even make your back more vulnerable to injury.
To solve this problem you should do some exercises to strengthen your core, like bridges, planks, and anti-rotationals. (Also, check out your hips and see if you are moving with a proper hip hinge.)
Muscles Get Tight Because Of Habits
Sometimes you have tight muscles because of a habit. Always standing with your weight on one leg or carrying a bag on the same side are examples. Always sitting with one leg crossed over the other is another.
To solve this problem you might need to do some stretching, however, this alone probably won’t do it. You might spend ten minutes stretching, but then all afternoon with a bag on your shoulder. Reducing or eliminating the habit will be key for successfully resolving the tightness.