Do you sit all day at a desk job?
Hello, tighthip flexorsand shoulder tension.
What about feeling stiff after a workout?
For me, it’s always tight hamstrings.
But surprisingly,strength trainingmay be exactly what your body needs.
Loading your muscles can actually reduce stiffness and perceived tightness by stabilizing the joint and improving muscle stability.
If this seems counterintuitive, don’t fret.
What is true muscle stiffness?
“Firstly, it’s important to know thatperceived muscle tightnessis not the same astrue muscle stiffness.
They can be present alone or together, saysLeada Malek, P.T., DPT, CSCS, SCS.
And we don’t want that to happen.
This helps increase muscle length and strengthens the muscles surrounding the jointswhich may contribute toimproved flexibility.
In turn, this means fewer shortened and stiff muscles.
“The beauty is there are a lot of ways to target this,” says Malek.
For example, mindbodygreen editor and yoga instructor Sarah Reagan recommends glute bridges to counter tight hip flexors.
I asked Malek what routine she recommends for stiff hamstrings.
Strength
Two or three times a week that target hamstrings in the lengthenedextendedposition.
This could be aRomanian deadlift(or a single-leg variation) or ahamstring curl.
The number of reps and the weights used will vary from person to person.
Justdon’t go too heavy too fastif you’re new to strength.
Then, hinge at the hips, reaching forward toward your toes while keeping the back straight.
You should feel a gentle stretch in the hamstring.
