Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health The Surprising Benefits of Weighted Stretching
Oct 3, 2025
Discover the innovative world of weighted stretching, where light loads boost both mobility and stability. Using everyday items like soup cans, you can enhance your range of motion and activate stabilizer muscles effectively. Holding stretches for 20–30 seconds under light tension promotes flexibility and muscle growth. Progress from simple moves to advanced techniques, like the Turkish get-up, to build confidence and controlled movement. This approach not only strengthens but also teaches your body to embrace deeper motion safely!
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Control Makes Flexibility Last
- Weighted stretching trains mobility and control simultaneously by adding light load to stretches.
- This approach converts passive flexibility into usable mobility by forcing stabilizing muscles to control new ranges.
Start With Tiny Loads And Holds
- Use very light weights (1–2 lb) and hold positions for 20–30 seconds to activate stabilizers and expand range.
- Simple items like soup cans or a light book provide enough load to improve control and reduce protective tension.
Lengthened Holds Drive Adaptation
- Holding load in lengthened positions increases time under tension and signals muscle and connective tissue adaptation.
- This produces both lasting flexibility and carryover to strength even with modest loads.