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Lots of commentary on the strength and weight aspects, but an equally important aspect for me is to add in a consistent and progressive focus on joint and muscl

Lots of commentary on the strength and weight aspects, but an equally important aspect for me is to add in a consistent and progressive focus on joint and muscle flexibility with consistent stretching [0]. While doing it initially on my own, I’ve come to realize that there are some stretches and range of motions that you just can’t push yourself (or at least I can’t) to progress without an external knowledgeable trainer who understands biomechanics and joint motion. I’ve been amazed at the range of motion that a joint can exhibit with some time and training. [0] https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-ideal-stretching-routine https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-ideal-str...

andy99 20d ago
Is there any indication stretching leads to improved health outcomes like resistance training does per the article? Everything I’ve seen indicates it’s a “nice to have” if one has unlimited time but if you’ve only got an hour a day or whatever for a workout you’re better off spending it all on resistance training.
- fasterik 20d ago
  The article is about muscle hypertrophy, not health outcomes. >if you’ve only got an hour a day or whatever for a workout you’re better off spending it all on resistance training. The health benefits of resistance training plateau around 90-120 minutes per week. And don't forget about cardio, which is arguably more important for reducing disease risk. I would guess that maintaining flexibility helps reduce risk of injury and mortality from falling, which becomes increasingly likely as you get older. But there's not much evidence that increasing flexibility beyond a normal functioning range has any ancillary benefits.
naasking 20d ago
Resistance training should be a form of stretching. If you're taking the loaded muscle through full ranges of motion, as you should be, then that also means ranges where the muscles are fully stretched. Unfortunately many people cut the range of motion short so they can add more load, which is counterproductive for both flexibility, injury risk and progress.

andy99 20d ago

Is there any indication stretching leads to improved health outcomes like resistance training does per the article? Everything I’ve seen indicates it’s a “nice to have” if one has unlimited time but if you’ve only got an hour a day or whatever for a workout you’re better off spending it all on resistance training.

fasterik 20d ago
The article is about muscle hypertrophy, not health outcomes. >if you’ve only got an hour a day or whatever for a workout you’re better off spending it all on resistance training. The health benefits of resistance training plateau around 90-120 minutes per week. And don't forget about cardio, which is arguably more important for reducing disease risk. I would guess that maintaining flexibility helps reduce risk of injury and mortality from falling, which becomes increasingly likely as you get older. But there's not much evidence that increasing flexibility beyond a normal functioning range has any ancillary benefits.

naasking 20d ago

Resistance training should be a form of stretching. If you're taking the loaded muscle through full ranges of motion, as you should be, then that also means ranges where the muscles are fully stretched. Unfortunately many people cut the range of motion short so they can add more load, which is counterproductive for both flexibility, injury risk and progress.