When most people think about improving flexibility, stretching is often the first thing that comes to mind.
From yoga poses to static stretches, these exercises have long been considered the go-to method for loosening tight muscles and increasing range of motion.
However, there’s a more effective and scientifically-supported approach to achieving flexibility: strength training.
Yes, you read that correctly. Strength training, when done correctly, not only builds muscle and enhances athletic performance but also outperforms stretching when it comes to improving flexibility.
Here’s why our Cedar Park athletes prioritize strength training over stretching for better movement and performance.
Strength Training Improves Active Range of Motion
Flexibility isn’t just about how far you can stretch your muscles; it’s about how well your joints can move through their full range of motion under control. This is called active range of motion.
Strength training enhances flexibility by strengthening muscles through their entire range of motion. For example:
Squats: When performed with proper technique, full-depth squats stretch and strengthen the hip flexors, glutes, and hamstrings, improving mobility in the hips and knees.
Overhead Press: Moving a barbell or dumbbells overhead strengthens the shoulders while stretching the lats, improving shoulder flexibility and stability.
Unlike static stretching, which only temporarily elongates muscles, strength training reinforces flexibility by teaching your body to control movements in extended positions.
Strength Balances Mobility and Stability
For athletes, mobility without stability is a recipe for injury. Stretching may improve mobility, but it doesn’t teach your muscles to control that movement.
Strength training builds both mobility and stability, ensuring that your joints are strong and protected at the end ranges of motion.
Take the Romanian deadlift (RDL) as an example:
The movement stretches the hamstrings while strengthening them through a full range of motion.
This balance of strength and flexibility reduces the risk of strains and helps athletes maintain proper form during explosive movements like sprints or jumps.
Strength Training Targets the Connective Tissue
Flexibility isn’t just about muscles—it also involves tendons, ligaments, and fascia. Strength training promotes adaptations in these connective tissues, making them more pliable and better able to handle stress.
This process, called mechanical loading, enhances tissue elasticity and resilience, which static stretching alone cannot achieve. The result? Athletes enjoy greater flexibility alongside stronger, more durable tissues.
Strength Training Is Time-Efficient
Athletes often have limited time to train. Strength training offers a two-for-one benefit:
It improves flexibility while simultaneously building strength, power, and endurance.
Stretching, on the other hand, only addresses flexibility, requiring additional time for strength work.
By integrating compound exercises like lunges, pull-ups, and presses into a training program, athletes can maximize their efficiency and achieve multiple goals at once.
Strength Training Yields Longer-Lasting Flexibility
Stretching typically produces short-term increases in flexibility due to temporary changes in muscle length. In contrast, strength training promotes structural and neurological adaptations that lead to lasting improvements.
For instance:
Eccentric exercises, such as slow-tempo lowering phases in lifts, increase muscle fiber length by adding sarcomeres (the building blocks of muscles).
This structural change provides a permanent boost to flexibility that static stretching cannot replicate.
Strength Training Enhances Functional Flexibility
Athletes need flexibility they can use during competition. Whether it’s a swimmer reaching for a powerful stroke, a baseball player winding up for a pitch, or a gymnast executing a routine, flexibility must translate to dynamic, real-world movements.
Strength training develops this functional flexibility. By loading muscles and joints in sport-specific ranges of motion, athletes train their bodies to move efficiently and effectively under pressure.
At Barbell Coalition, We Create Stronger & Flexible Cedar Park Athletes
Strength training isn’t just for building muscle—it’s a powerful tool for improving flexibility in ways that stretching simply cannot match.
By combining strength and mobility, athletes gain the range of motion, stability, and functional movement patterns they need to excel in their sport.
Interested in our training? Click here to schedule a free consultation and tour of the gym
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