First, let us discuss which muscles you do not need to stretch.

You do not need to stretch muscles that are not tight, not causing any pain or dysfunction, or not preventing you from performing a physical goal (i.e., kicking higher in Martial Arts).

Muscles that should be stretched:

1. Muscles that appear or feel tight. They have decreased length.

2. Muscle Imbalances- compare muscles side to side, front to back. Is one side tighter than the other?

3. Muscles that have tender spots (scar tissue or micro-tears).

4. Muscles that have post-exercise muscle soreness (micro-tears, blood pooling, and/or accumulated waste products, i.e., lactic acid)

5. Muscles that are over-tensioned. Too much stress because they are too short and the joint lacks ROM. i.e., shortened quadriceps in a fast-growing adolescent- Osgood-Schlatter disease.

See the full Stretching & More Fitness Program. Includes all videos and printable guide sheets.

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