Yesterday I wrote about strong muscles. Today, I need to add a bit about long muscles.
OK, not necessarily long. Muscles at optimum length. Bear with me here. In our muscles, there is a relationship between length and tension. That relationship produces strength in action. A muscle with an optimal length-tension relationship is as strong as possible. One that is too short (contracted) or too long (released) can’t do its best work.
It’s true that most of us walk around with a lot of muscles overly contracted. (PSA: this is a good time to lower your shoulders away from your ears.) What we may not realize is that this means we are also walking around with a lot of muscles overly stretched. For every muscle group that bends something, there is a group that extends it and vice versa. When some are too tight, some are too loose. We need to balance everything out.
So what do we do? Let me introduce you to my favorite “uncle,” Uncle Joe Pilates. Pilates (and yoga) as a practice does a great job of teaching us to use the right amount of force at the right time. We may notice the increased flexibility more, but the increased strength in the opposing muscles is there, too.
Don’t want to do Pilates? That’s cool. Do some stretching at least, making sure to stretch both sides (e.g., both quads and hamstrings) for best results.
(I’m a Pilates instructor. You can make an appointment with me!)
Go play.
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