Does Stretching Kill Your Gains or Is It Essential to Them?

The Debate On Stretching

Stretching has been a fitness staple for decades. It seems like common sense to include it in your routine. But the fitness community has a love hate relationship with stretching.

Some swear by it, claiming it’s the key to peak performance and injury prevention. Others dismiss it entirely, warning that it might sabotage your strength gains.

The reality isn’t as simple as “good” or “bad.” Stretching can be a tool for progress or a roadblock depending on how and when you use it.

To help you understand, here’s the fact and fiction on how stretching impacts your gains.

What Actually Happens When You Stretch?

Stretching feels good, but physiologically, it’s doing much more than relieving tension.

When you stretch, you’re temporarily elongating the muscle fibers and tendons. This increases blood flow, improves joint mobility, and helps maintain a healthy range of motion.

But it can also creates a temporary drop in the muscle's ability to produce force.

That’s where the controversy begins.

Studies show that static stretching, holding a position for an extended time, can reduce strength output if performed immediately before a workout.

This has led some lifters to avoid it entirely, fearing it will blunt their performance in the gym. But dismissing stretching altogether misses the bigger picture.

Does Stretching Lead To Gains Or Losses?

One of the biggest misconceptions is that stretching before a workout will “kill your gains.”

This belief is rooted in research showing that static stretching can reduce power and strength output in the short term.

But here’s the thing: stretching itself doesn’t prevent muscle growth or diminish long term progress.

In fact, some evidence suggests the opposite. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that integrating targeted stretching into resistance training routines might actually enhance hypertrophy, or muscle growth.

Stretching can activate muscle spindles, sensory receptors that regulate muscle contraction.

This increased activation can lead to more efficient and powerful muscle contractions during lifting, further promoting hypertrophy.

The stretching activates the spindles, triggering what’s called a stretch reflex. This neural response enhances muscle activation, leading to more forceful contractions and greater muscle fiber recruitment, ultimately promoting better hypertrophy.

But what about the theory behind how stretching kills your gains?

Excessive or poorly timed stretching can temporarily reduce muscle power and strength, potentially hindering performance during a workout.

For example, stretching your hamstrings for an extended period before a sprint workout can temporarily reduce the muscle's ability to contract forcefully, leading to slower sprint times.

Similarly, excessively stretching your shoulders before a bench press session might hinder your ability to generate maximum power during the lift. 

This is because the excessive stretching can temporarily reduce the muscle spindle sensitivity in the shoulder muscles, decreasing the activation of motor neurons, and leading to a decrease in muscle force production.

So what’s the right way to stretch that leads to maximum benefits without hindering any gains?

The Right Way To Stretch For Gains

Now that you know overstretching can potentially lead to decreased performance, here’s how to stretch correctly so you only see better gains:

Warm Up Before You Stretch

Jumping straight into stretching with cold muscles is a recipe for trouble. Engage in light aerobic activity like jogging, cycling, or jumping rope to increase blood flow and raise your muscle temperature. A proper warm up not only improves flexibility but also prepares your body for the stretches ahead, reducing the risk of strain.

Focus on Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic stretches, like leg swings or arm circles, involve controlled movements that mimic the exercises in your workout.

These movements are more effective at priming your muscles for activity than static stretching. Studies have shown that dynamic stretching improves range of motion and activates the nervous system, enhancing workout performance.

For instance, before a leg day, dynamic stretches like walking lunges or high knees can target your lower body while preparing your joints for heavy loads. You could also use a broomstick to mimic the range of motion for a barbell shoulder press, stretching the specific muscles needed before or after performing the action.

Go Easy on Static Stretching Pre Workout

Static stretching, where you hold a stretch for 15 60 seconds, is excellent for improving flexibility over time.

However, using it excessively before a workout can temporarily reduce muscle strength and power.

Instead, save static stretching for post workout sessions, where it can help alleviate muscle tightness and aid recovery.

If you must include static stretches beforehand, keep them brief and limited to problem areas.

Listen to Your Body

Stretching should never be painful. If you feel sharp or intense discomfort, it’s a clear sign to back off. Overstretching can lead to microtears in the muscles, setting you back instead of moving you forward. Pay attention to what your body is telling you, and focus on stretching to a point of mild tension, not pain.

Stretch It Further With Stretching Under Tension

Integrating stretches into your lifts, known as dynamic loaded stretching, is a high impact strategy for building muscle and boosting performance.

And it makes sense when you realize that all muscle gains come from stretching and tearing the muscle fibers in the first place.

Stretching a muscle under load, as in deep squats or Romanian deadlifts, generates mechanical tension in its lengthened position, which is key to hypertrophy.

In movements like Romanian deadlifts, the eccentric phase (lowering the weight) creates tension while the muscle elongates.

This stretch contraction combo triggers microtrauma, activating growth pathways like stretch mediated hypertrophy.

Use exercises like deep squats, Romanian deadlifts, or cable flies to stretch dynamically.

1.) Focus on slow, controlled eccentric phases and proper form.

2.) On your final set, hold the stretch slightly longer for an added growth stimulus.

By combining strength with flexibility through dynamic stretching, you achieve deeper engagement, smarter muscle activation, and lasting gains in hypertrophy and mobility.

The Role of Stretching in Recovery

If you’ve ever woken up sore from a heavy leg day, you know how tempting it is to skip your next workout.

That’s where stretching comes in. Stretching post workout won’t erase soreness, but it can improve circulation and help reduce stiffness, making it easier to get back under the bar sooner.

A 2018 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that static stretching immediately after exercise improved flexibility without negatively impacting recovery times.

Paired with foam rolling or light cardio, stretching can be a low cost, low effort way to stay mobile and maintain momentum in your training program.

The BMM Takeaway

Stretching isn’t the villain it’s sometimes made out to be, but it’s not a cure all either. Like any training tool, its effectiveness depends on how and when you use it.

Dynamic stretches before workouts, static stretches after, and targeted loaded stretches for growth can all play a role in enhancing your gains.

Ultimately, it comes down to balance. Overstretching can weaken your joints, but neglecting flexibility can limit your range of motion and increase injury risk. The sweet spot lies in tailoring your stretching routine to fit your goals and training style.

Remember, stretching won’t replace hard work in the gym, but it can amplify your results when done strategically. Whether you’re chasing strength, size, or just trying to stay injury free, flexibility is a key piece of the puzzle.