Improve Flexibility with Research-Supported Stretching Protocols | Huberman Lab Podcast #76

[@TripleG5050]

It’s incredible how valuable this podcast is for free.

[@jessruhl24]

many thanks to the sponsors

[@vcash1112]

Technically his making money…

[@armaniwebb4467]

We get it. Let's keep this to ourselves...not give him any bright ideas 🤣🤣

[@CFLSystema]

Free. Not FOR free. :)

[@andrewquinn6634]

No kiddn

[@shawnjbray]

I stretch most every muscle in my body before bed, every night, till I stop feeling each stretch anymore. It helps me sleep, much better. Helps me stay flexible, and helps heal my muscles quicker, and keeps them from being all too sore the next day

[@feurigerStern]

Stretching does help with sleep. You have motivated me to do more with this reminder

[@shawnjbray]

Ya I don’t sleep but a few hrs if I don’t stretch after a days work

[@brett84c]

I've been doing a bedtime yoga routine the past few weeks and it's helping my sleep for sure and I'm someone that has a severe sleep disorder and medicated with benzos for years. I really lost hope that anything natural could actually help.

[@razaahmed5018]

Thanks, will do the same!

[@gabrielwalton9290]

I had major trouble sleeping do to a TBI. It definitely helps to know that you must stretch everyday cuz I'm slack in this much.

[@StoicAurelius1]

Literally this podcast popped up while I was stretching on the mat at the gym. Just a heavenly sent, wonderful, scientist and human being. Our lives are in a much better position because of you. Thank you Professor.

[@niahoward1920]

Stick around, you won’t be disappointed. The professor is in, and he’s awesome !

[@samiyaggey8686]

Same, morning stretch routine right out of bed and saw this

[@karyfang-chen1194]

Wonderfully stated! I feel the same way like u!

[@Nick-py2cd]

Interesting... To me, this episode popped when I stopped stretching a few days ago, oops.... Agreed too!!!

[@sirus312]

bruhh this name lol

[@Countrygrrlnzs]

I’m 60 this year and have been doing a regular stretch program for the past three years. Usually I do 30 minutes per day focusing on a specific area. Initially I was very unfit and had joint pain and muscle fatigue and stretching was the only thing I could do when I started. I was very tight in the joints and that’s a no no because you cartilage repair beyond late forties slows down and replaces itself less quickly so it’s easier to cause wear and tear and get to a stage where bone on bone friction occurs. I did a lot of body building in my early 40’s without any stretching as such and that I feel exacerbated knee osteoarthritis issues and a shoulder injury resulted in my left shoulder being extremely tight. Only just started to address this as I could not do simple things like reach behind my back or reach up etc. A lower back injury caused a very tight lower back. My GP said it would always be that way and said it could not be reversed. I don’t know what made me start stretching but I’m glad I did. It reduced my joint pain. It’s gradually reduced any muscular fatigue and inflammation I had in any muscle tissue. I reached my goal of being pain free but decided to set new goals of trying to achieve dancer flexibility. This has meant stretching everywhere basically, even my feet which I wanted to do to increase my arch and improve pointe. Glad to say that despite my feet being mostly cartilage and done I still managed to increased my pointe massively. I had tight Achilles tendons so had pain in the mornings when first rising and would literally hobble around the house until my legs warmed up. However the stretching has addressed even my Achilles tendons. Also had lower back pain and hip pain. In focusing on dancer stretches it addressed all those tight spots as a lot of it involves opening up hips flexors and stretching your legs and glutes to do high kicks etc. I started with restorative stretches and hold my stretches anything from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. I am now strength training without issues and feeling pretty much like I did when younger. No issues really.

[@nunyabidnezus8456]

Thx for sharing that

[@raginigupta6482]

Cool

[@Onceadreamer]

Thanks for sharing. I am wondering if you also observed any changes in the way you look. Your skin, your hair, your sight, your physical appearance in general, anything. Anything that is visible to someone else

[@JonasJudah]

And your lower back? You said that your GP said it would always be that way. Has your lower back gotten less tight? Since the stretching exercises

[@MrPeanutUK]

I’m 35 and feel incredibly inflexible and have tight muscles. I’ve been going to the gym for the last 2 years but started stretching in December and I’m noticing slight improvements. Which stretches/routine do you follow? Thanks

[@cassidyb6677]

As a massage therapist who spends my whole day telling people to stretch I'm so excited to hear a deep dive into the topic so I can communicate more reasons why!

[@maxboutelle1649]

Same here, Cassidy! 💆‍♀💆‍♂

[@atheresa72]

Imnn no I’m the same boat as you Cassidy. This is very helpful

[@reneecaines9097]

Same here!

[@robf7829]

Same here! 👍

[@LifeWisdomTV]

what are some good stretches

[@for_your_entertainment]

I met you, Andrew, at a cafe in San Francisco. I remember how shocked I was to see you in my neighborhood. I was "fan girling" and so nervous but my partner helped me build the courage to come up to you. I was able to at least shake your hand and express my appreciations for the work you do. You were with someone so I didn't want to bother you too much and strike up a conversation more than just that. It was probably a normal encounter with an admirer for you but I will never forget it. The energy you put into educating those who are curious and willing to listen is extraordinary. I don't have "heroes" in my life because I don't like putting people on pedestals, we're all human doing our best with what we have and what we've learned. I will say though, you are inspiring to me and I aim to create anything in life with as much mindfulness, precision, and with the ability to articulate information about my creations as much as you.

[@fatfingersman]

Ha! What a timing, i have been stretching 3x a day for about a week now. And i can tell you that my focus,clarity,sleep and ability to run easier has improved so much in such a small time frame. Fear and anxiety have been thrown out of a window. It is also so much easier to get in a meditation state after stretching/yoga sessions. So yes, my conclusion that our kinetic chain has so much to do with how we feel and perform!

[@justhappy8892]

Your comment describes exactly my current situation! I also just thought:" what a perfect timing, this great video/post! Thank you Dr. Huberman! Greetings from Germany from a new follower.

[@dr.dmitry.sokolov]

Labais! Arī pamanīju, ka stiepšanās guvumi ir diezgan globāli ķermeņa fizioloģijas un orgānu sistēmu efektu ziņā. Prieks satikt tautieti šī izcilā zinātnieku skatītāju starpā!

[@theanonymouslegion4811]

This was also perfect timing for me. Haven’t started a consistent stretching routine yet but was just thinking this past week about how my performance in the gym could go to the next level if I stretched and had a greater range of motion… was wondering about the extent to which this is true etc. so I’m shocked that his latest episode was on stretching. Can’t wait to get through this one!

[@MrOppett]

ج

[@mikeluhrs4578]

So funny me too!!!

[@sanjaychoudhry1316]

Just when I start doubting my regular yoga practice , thanks Dr Andrew Huberman for helping me. My interpretation of this talk is summarised below : 1. Brain structural volume gets impacted and Grey matter of insula in mind increases 2. Yoga helps to have better neural connections and Pain tolerance increases linearly with each year of practice and it’s almost double compared to normal person and neuro muscular system works perfectly for which it’s designed 3. You feel less cold and hot compared to others 4. In some animal studies , Tumour gets reduced and stretches makes para sympathetic system more active at systemic level rather than at local lvl . So inducing relaxation by stretching is the key to better health 5. Range of motion is better 6. Our ability to relax and access deep relaxation quickly is possible and inflammation in body reduces to some extent 7.Internal awareness , pain threshold and stress management is much better . 8. Initially remaining static in yoga posture is important , with practice you maintain the posture and start focusing on slow and deep breathing and with years of practice with you , once remaining in posture and deep and calm breath is easier done than said you focus on emerging thoughts which gravitate towards positivity of life . That’s the reason yoga benefits all of us and your interest in yoga remain intact with years added to experience of doing daily Sadhna . 9. So smile often as you enter into the next posture of your yoga practice along with deep , calming breathe

[@2010COpall]

Bottom line: there is a length/tension relationship between muscles with opposing functions that cross the same joint. That length/tension relationship, including all of the neurological signals that are involved, will adapt itself to whatever work you ask the joint to do the most. If that work doesn't involved a full range of joint movement, then the length/tension relationship is altered and joint mobility is compromised. So introduce more joint-friendly, functional work to your routine, including stretching muscles that have become mechanically "shortened" by the central nervous system in response to less than ideal, dysfunctional movement patterns.

[@LaPaisa305]

Perfectly summed up sir… thank you!🙌🏽

[@cloudvsephiroth215]

What would classify as a joint friendly, fuctional exercise. What would make that exercise joint harming

[@2010COpall]

@@cloudvsephiroth215 I would consider any movement pattern/exercise to be joint friendly if it enhances the ability of that joint to move through its full range of motion (in cases where the hardware of the joint has been compromised, then joint-friendly would be limited to available range of motion). For a joint to move through its full range of motion, there must be a healthy length tension relationship between the muscles that act on that joint in order for those muscles to be recruited when needed (and for those muscles, and the joint(s) that they act upon, to be further recruited synergistically with other muscle/joint groups). So I would consider an exercise to be joint-harming if it alters that length-tension relationship. When I train folks, I often mention that the length-tension relationship of joint muscles will adapt to the work that you ask that joint to do the most.

[@calista1280]

@@cloudvsephiroth215 Knees should not go past the toes when squatting as that is harmful to the knee joints. Any hyperflezion of a joint is harmful.

[@2010COpall]

@@calista1280 Anatomically, the ankle joint needs to dorsiflex during a squat, which will change the angle of the shin bone and bring the knees out over the toes. The alternative is to not dorsiflex the ankles, keep the shin bone relatively perpendicular to the ground, and lean the upper body forward, which is a hip-hinge, dead-lift pattern. The dead lift is great for generating force, but not as great at absorbing force and absorbing force is what you need to be able to do with you upper body supporting heavy weight (as opposed to pulling heavy weight up off of the ground). See Knees Over Toes Guy.

[@larrycostigan6991]

At 65 and having always been an athlete my days are made up of bike, yoga, barbell strength training/pull ups and walking. I eat well and sleep well. I’m not on any medication I think this podcast spells out some excellent protocols to live by I really enjoy your podcasts.

[@jacksonjackson-w2y]

im 30 and aspire to be you when im older. thank you sir!

[@fVNzO]

Will you perhaps one day do an episode dedicated to joint health? That being evaluating current science in structures, nutrient transports, healing and repairing, prevention of cartilage degeneration, how to train to strengthen, what to avoid etc. I find the cushioning between our bones a very interesting subject and it's impossible for someone like me that doesn't have the expertise to crawl through or even locate the papers exploring this topic to get an accurate representation of what is and what is indeed not possible as pertaining to joint health. I regularly hear all sorts of horror stories of perfectly healthy runners/soccer players or other athletes suddenly having worn away their knees etc. in their late 20's which sounds like quite the nightmare. So my question is: This essential aspect of our bodies, seemingly easy to irreparably damage without even knowing it - even for otherwise healthy adults, what is it that truly causes these breakdowns and how do we maximize joint health?

[@hubermanlab]

Yes! Will do.

[@fVNzO]

@@hubermanlab i can't wait.

[@deejeff8846]

Walking

[@fVNzO]

@@deejeff8846 wall king

[@ernestgibbs7384]

Freeze Keep joints mobile and flexible giving them full range of movement using all protocols described here. Eat plenty or the foods that activate the production of synovial fluid and as we age it is important to regularly take a high quality dietary supplement that contains nutrients like chondroitin & glucosamine (with nutrient co-factors that increase absorption) that will repair and replenish cartilage and connective tissues

[@naomihawkins24]

i've been in school for 8 years and you just might be the best teacher to cross my path. THANK YOU for making this free. God bless you!

[@w.w.w.n]

Happy Monday ☕ 76 weeks of continuous learning to the depth I did not know I could get, thank you so much!

[@matthewede7282]

What a flex lol

[@profitfever]

Explain. What's your method, only the podcast?

[@sandybayes]

I use Miranda Esmond White's,Essentrics daily and have found it to be a life saver for this 81 year old. Friends have remarked on my agility and I am highly motivated. All the women on my mother's side lost their ability to walk in their early 80's. I do not want that to happen to me! Thank you for bringing the topic of stretching as an essential form of exercise. Others need to be aware how important it is.

[@dianap7556]

Thank you! Great as usual! As a yoga teacher of over 25 years, I just have to say, yoga figured all this out thousands of years ago. The traditional yoga practices have all these concepts built in (have to mention, not so much the modern - fast & mostly ballistic styles of just work out focused yoga). Yoga incorporates the agonist/antagonist, PNF, static stretches, holds- 5 breaths is about 30-60 seconds, flow(vinyasa) warms up core and joints, sadhana (regular practice) & maintaining focus & body awareness with the mind and breath- which activates the parasympathetic nervous system. I always tell my students to practice 3x/week min to see the effects- love that now I can site studies behind it :). It's fascinating to learn what happens from the modern science perspective. Would be amazing if you can do an episode on bioelectricity (what I believe is Prana in yoga). Thanks for all your amazing work!! ❤

[@Christopher-md7tf]

The Yoga poses we practice today in the West aren't thousands of years old, more like 200 at most.

[@radezzientertainment501]

@@Christopher-md7tf not all practioners have been modernized and marketized

[@Christopher-md7tf]

@@radezzientertainment501 Warning, long post: "Yoga philosophy and directives about how to embark on a personal path of self-realization have been here for thousands of years. But a specific, holistic, yoga practice of physical and spiritual fitness simply didn't exist before about 200 years ago. And no, I didn't forget another zero on the end of that number. That's right: most of the poses we do in our yoga classes, whether our teacher is an Indian master or an American one, come from a much shorter lineage than we imagine. The first workout-like practice of asanas, or poses, stem from the Sritattvanidhi, a book written in the early 1800's by Mummadi Krishnaraja, a patron of Indian culture and arts. The manual showcased 122 postures, like backbends and handstands, many of which we still practice today. However, some of the poses were clearly drawn from Indian gymnastics, such as what we know today as Chaturanga Dandasana. Shockingly to some, it wasn't a sacred move handed down from, ancient yoga sages to enlighten the masses. It was a pushup gymnasts used to get stronger. In the early 1900s, a yoga teacher named Krishnamacharya and later, his world-famous students, B.K.S. Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois, began to formulate their own takes on the Sritattvanidhi poses, and then some. Krishnamacharya pulled some moves straight from British gymnastics, which one of his main students Pattabhi Jois took forward, like the Pendant Pose jumpback of Ashtanga. BKS Iyengar, another famous student of Krishnamacharya's, created his own, very different take on those poses, and he also added his own variations. Iyengar and the others drew inspiration from the Astanga, or 8-limbed path set forth in the Yoga Sutras, but also from (often contradictory to the Sutras) sources like the Baghavad Gita and Upanisads. Though an inner spiritual tradition may be gleaned from these historic texts, as opaque and esoteric as they can be in their simplicity, the fact remains that the poses themselves were not set forth until much later. So, a few Indian men basically made up the yoga poses, men who practiced for hours a day and had Cirque Du Soleil-like bodies and aspirations. They travelled around showing their yoga prowess to audiences. Along with their spiritual expression--it was their way to attract more students. They were the yoga celebrities of their day--and still are. " From a HuffPost article called "Your Yoga Poses Aren't 5,000 Years Old: A New Perspective on "Old" Yoga" (can't link it without my reply getting deleted)

[@EllaDuncan_]

Would love an episode about bio electricity as well!

[@paul-ie]

@@Christopher-md7tf OK so what's your point? You think ancient yogis just never stretched?

[@davetindell4110]

I had a colleague recommend this podcast. This is by far one of the best podcast I've ever seen. It uses actual terms and doesn't assume you're an idiot. As someone who has an environment that's not typically mentally stimulating.. this is so refreshing! The data actually referenced instead of just saying "study say" or "Google it" is AMAZING!! I'm hooked! Been binge watching this podcast. Sir, you're a gem! Thank you!

[@simplycece9160]

I send all your podcasts to my anatomy teacher. I flunked last semester because I spent more time listening to Huberman Lab than I did doing homework. But my teacher was impressed with all the unique facts I contributed to the lectures...I'm working on a Huberman Lab degree ☺️ I think he'll be your next student!

[@shelleyannwalters2375]

😂

[@CeceKruchkoSmith]

I'm a Cece too. I have 4 classes all on hold as I too, am a Huberman student . My mental health has improved as a result of these lessons and understanding the mind body union.

[@iyerky]

Amazing. Dr Huberman, your question about the amount of rest between static stretching sets probably has an answer in yoga. Yoga tells us to rest for as long as required for your breathing to normalise. I don’t have any “scientific” evidence but this is what we are taught by experienced yoga teachers.

[@danielpothier8599]

As a physio with only 3 years experience I can say this is a fantastic podcast which was a great review for myself and taught me a couple new things! Great work as always Dr. 👏

[@danielvanhouten1]

Dude, deep respect for the time and energie you put in your podcast. It looks great, it sounds great, and there is a lot of prep-work involved. I love the fact that i can tell you took the time to figure out how to explain complex concepts. Thank you so much.

[@David-di6hk]

I did the “experiment” at 37mins. It worked like a charm, I got 2 or more inches of flexibility instantly

[@thepsychopimp]

I had a stroke in my brainstem and cerebellum in 2012 that knocked my balance out to where I couldn’t stand up without falling left and I had to relearn how to walk. Doing Bikram Yoga 3x/week allowed me to recover 110%

[@AlexLevineFitness]

I am a personal trainer with Ankylosing Spondylitis which is an inflammatory disease that can severely stiffen up the body. Stretching is CRUCIAL for AS and podcasts like these are incredible.

[@maylynnod6714]

Great podcast as usual. I have been a yin yoga practitioner for a while now and the idea of yin is to hold a static posture for up to 5 min. It is called the power of stillness. After 5 min of holding a stretch, one would feel their joints lubricated and their ability to handle pain is big. It would be so insightful to all of us if you can make a podcast about yoga. Thank you

[@_Wai_Wai_]

5minute hold sounds intense. Is there yang yoga?

[@ybanzen]

@@_Wai_Wai_ yes there is yang yoga! usually something like ashtanga is considered a yang practice

[@chunkuenwong-h9q]

what is the optimal time to hold a stretch in order to alleviate joint or muscle pain?

[@Christian_Wedoy]

Have you thought about doing an episode on conscious breath traing, breath hold training, Wim How breathing, Stig Severinsen Breatheology, static and dynamic apnea training and its effects on the body? With so many people getting into conscious breathing and breath training it would be very interesting to get some scientific facts about it from a credible source.

[@RD-000]

Bump! I'd also love an episode on this very topic.

[@nelsonang]

there is a breath episode in the podcast

[@shereerabon8551]

He has already and it's great. I don't know how to find it but it's there.

[@Voy2378]

@@shereerabon8551 there is search on his website

[@cq42lz]

This guy could probably go on a good hour on inhale protocol complete with names for all the nerves and muscles involved then another episode for exhaling.

[@aiculsunlight9713]

I am in my 60’s and have been practicing Yoga for over 16 years. Lately, I came across Travis Elliot yoga videos and I am hooked! He has helped me stretch muscles that I didn’t know exist 🧘‍♀️🙏Thank you so much for your great podcast . Best luck !

[@sl4983]

Your 60s?

[@shirintobie-paul3501]

Thank you Dr. Huberman, team, sponsors and supporters ☀️ My children ( preteen, male and female) like Dr. Huberman’s work so much that they now watch other podcasts where he is interviewed! Keep adding value to this place!

[@Alekhine01]

How remarkable that they will sit through such useful information. I have found with my kids that the more useful I thought something might be the less likely they were to be interested in it. Myself, I was more like your kids. As a parent of my kids, I have had to be sneakier, always not letting on my interest while allowing everything to be their discovery. Their ownership of knowledge, as in discovery independent of me, was a big deal. So many times they have come back and "taught" me something I tried to show them a long time ago (even as young adults). Frustrating snd amusing at the same time. So much simpler to just trust that Dad might know something worthwhile. I feel like you must have done something right that they are sophisticated enough to learn from two hour lectures. Fantastic. My kids are smart, but that kind of attention is rare these days in preteens! Good for you!

[@mysjhb]

Hello @Andrew 1:23:55 is when I picked up my phone to comment. All this time I had my airpod listening to your podcast while on my yoga mat. As a lifetime yoga practitioner, teacher and teacher trainer, I am always fascinated and so grateful for the scientist and researchers who can explain what has been felt by those who practise yoga in its basic form. By basic form I mean the attention to breath, and relaxing or as often said “surrendering” into the physical form or posture or asan. This is long drawn way of first thanking you for this podcast and all the research, secondly to say yes please practise yoga. I invite you and your listeners to “snack” on yoga. For example a couple of rounds of sun salutations in the morning. Do a one leg balancing asan like tree pose or a hip flexor stretch in warrior 1 as your water boils or the coffee is brewed. A couple of minutes of mindful breathing, awareness or any technique, through out the day. All this adds up. And then if you are listening to music, lie on the floor in what is called the crocodile pose, or alternately in corpse pose. Sit on the floor to watch TV, or when you have a phone conversation. Some ideas I am sharing with you and your audience and hope that it helps to incorporate yoga in all our lives. Yoga meets us where we are.

[@markus717]

Good advice, thanks. As a longtime martial artist, I developed similar uses of waiting time, like water boiling. Mine are simpler: stretch hamstrings by bending over at the waist. (When you say 'touch your toes' then people hunch their backs to do it.) You can even do this when you bend over the sink! Why hunch your back when you can do a useful stretch?

[@kkandy77]

Another great one! As a yoga teacher, I am especially interested in this topic. Also, I can attest to the research explaining how yoga students can better tolerate discomfort such as cold exposure -- my boyfriend and I started doing cold exposure 3x/week 2 weeks ago, and I can tolerate colder temps, so he goes in after me, that is after I warm up the water a bit! Future podcast request -- I would love for you to have Dr. Stacy Sims on as a guest to discuss fitness for women who are peri-menopausal and beyond. Much gratitude for all that you do! Your podcast has been life-changing in so many ways!!

[@titeyogarunner]

Yes! STACEY SIMS ON FEMALE PROTOCOLS !

[@WahkeenaSitka]

I've been doing a Yin Yoga practice consistently since 2011, so 11 years of Yin Yoga on a regular basis. I strongly believe that stretching is necessary for maintaining healthy range of motion and being pain free as we age. I will continue doing yin yoga until I die.

[@guriyakalra1471]

I have started doing yin yoga from past 2 years too. But not sure how many days in a week, one should do?

[@TheReminderChannnel]

I was just thinking about stretching when I used to do taekwon-do and I learnt about PNF stretching, I come on KZbin and lo and behold Andrew released this video, legend 🙏 👌 💪

[@kimberquirky]

PNF stretching is fabulous!

[@christopherthomas9833]

I studied Hatha yoga. In regards to pain tolerance. While the mind can process information amazingly fast in volume. It is a sequential one thought at a time. This is where breathing comes in. So you breathe to get you through the pain. The breathing blocks out the thought of pain. -CThomas

[@svetlioramos3345]

Hi, Andrew In the beginning of that year I found the Huberman lab podcast. Since then I’ve watched all the episodes and I’ve learned a tremendous amount of useful information. My life is so much better with every episode I watch. I want to make two suggestions about future topics I want you to discuss and cover. 1. What drugs do to the brain and body over time. I am sure it will be very interesting and useful especially for the youngest people. They just do not realise the actual damage they are dealing to themselves when they are taking different drugs on a regular basis. 2. Suicides. I think it will also be a very useful discussion. With the growth of social media the suicide rates among teenagers have frankly risen significantly. What goes through the suicidal people’s minds? Are some people more prone to thing about suicides? What’s the reason for such things to occur among the masses? So that’s my suggestions about future podcasts. And so Andrew, I want to thank you for your time and effort to make our life better and better. You are a beautiful human being and I am thankful to God that you exist . And last but certainly not least, ANDREW, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN SCIENCE!

[@antoandimitrov369]

I agree very much!

[@databloomer6283]

Really good topics bro, the 2nd one I've thought of quite some time but haven't really suggested it, but I will be happy to hear his thoughts on it!

[@mubyh2987]

Respect! Amazing topics would certainly look forward to those

[@thuglaza4728]

2nd one would be an interesting continuation of the depression episode.

[@svetlioramos3345]

@@thuglaza4728 indeed

[@arizonie994]

Thank you Andrew for for these informational goodies. I do 4 days of yoga per week trying to keep my 76 YO body flexible. Good to have an understanding of how to improve. I have a deep respect for you.

[@normanquednau]

I recommend stretching for mental health issues. Doing a stretching session alleviates not only bodily tension but also emotional/mental tension. The protocol I follow is 3 times per week 90 seconds of stretching one muscle group, because I feel that after around 1 minute there is a noticeable release. Also I want to point out that it is recommend to stretch the diaphragm as well via vacuum tummy (free diving). I noticed that a lot of mental tension correlates with the diaphragm. Why? because of breathing patterns. Thanks for all this useful stuff!!

[@lauraon]

Yes makes so much sense!

[@ernestgibbs7384]

Fully agree. The complete and full benefits of stretching cannot be activated without the interaction and combination with the breath, concentrating with the full breath down to the stomach, which activates the diaphragm. The activation of the diaphragm through breath in turn activates the peristalsis movement, which is the 'lifting' and gentle massage of the bowel to improve digestion and elimination/evacuation

[@normanquednau]

@@ernestgibbs7384 absolutely... all systems are interconnected

[@eliasekstrom4110]

So stretching could lower the crime rate🤔?

[@matthewbaker5972]

Just thinking about it for a second yes

[@TonyMacFarlane]

This is the podcast of the year, and it's only January! Implications are staggering-for every bodyworking path on Earth. What a magnificent achievement!

[@BYCARRIE]

I’d love for you to talk about muscle recovery and the role of massage therapy! Great podcast as always

[@gregdilonedojo7652]

Sensei, Thank you for your time and passion. As an aging martial artist of an elite level, compound injuries and scar tissue have me stretching more now after 50yrs of training and regretting I didn't do more when younger uugh! Coincidently, I read that when Kobe Bryant was asked if he had any regrets after he retired, he replied "I wished I stretched more". Oss!

[@mediareviewingme7651]

I am a neuroscience grad student, found it fascinating how I was already thinking about muscle spindles and myosin actin contraction as a good reason to practice stretching on the daily. I do it more by ear (depending on what felt tight), and did see significant improvement in my anterior delt. But felt like I hit a plateau. I was definitely not hitting the 30 second mark on each static stretch. Was doing more like 10 seconds. And probably I wasn’t reaching de 5 minutes a week mark. So this really help me refined my protocol. Thank you so much, will update this in a few months If I manage to break de plateau

[@stellawella3]

please can we have a talk on anti-depressants and their affects on the brain. Thanks. Love these podcasts. I listen to you every day

[@toutounr8120]

Im a yoga teacher of different styles from Vinyasa to Prenatal and Aerial, and was waiting for this episode(what feels like) all my life 😍😋 THANK YOU

[@mimjack]

Yoga teacher and listens to Hubermanlab......marry me?

[@Q_QQ_Q]

Kindly read Yogachara , Buddhist philosophical literature about Yoga .

[@toutounr8120]

​@@mimjack are you single?

[@toutounr8120]

​@@Q_QQ_Q oh yes will do, im also a book worm 😍 thx for recommendation!

[@Q_QQ_Q]

@@toutounr8120 I meant its one of the school of Mahayana Buddhism . It's not the name of the book but you can find many books on this .

[@DC-pw6mo]

As a retired Occupational Therapist, I fully support this podcast:)! Stretching is SO important and often overlooked ! Thanks Doc!

[@freeingmovement7679]

A full episode on fascia would be real great and appreciated! You're master, thanks for sharing :)

[@gwho]

i'm fascist. a big fan of fascia.

[@dinaally7537]

An episode on fascia would be great!

[@amandamarvin6303]

Please please & please

[@ginamireault3294]

Please interview Bernie Clark, world's leading expert on Yin Yoga, and the effects on the biochemical features of the fascia.

[@jdgatlin8813]

Is fascia responsible for how you move? I want to move with grace and more smoothly. But I move kinda stiff and rigid. Even though I’m athletic.

[@williewaset]

Among the best episodes for me. Very interesting studies cited and encourages me to continue my yoga practice of 10 years now.

[@KS-ev9yp]

It occurred to me the other day that as we age and usually become a bit more rigid, this is not only in the body but also the mind. I vowed to stretch daily to prevent and counteract this. And then this episode popped up! Looking good forward to learn all that prof. Huberman has to offer. Thank you again!!

[@BlissologyYoga]

No doubt there is a connection.

[@arleneportsmouth1263]

I would definitely love to see him do a lecture on f f a c i a. Evidently people at Google never heard of the word they keep wanting to type some other strange word I've never seen in my entire life same word except for starting with s. 🙄

[@arleneportsmouth1263]

So strange because I wasn't looking for a stretching video and haven't seen any on KZbin pop up but I did do quite a bit of stretching in the last week and wondered if it was all for nothing. I remember stretching before and after my 6-mile walk and didn't have a drop of fat on my upper arms. Haven't stretched in about two and a half years and have bat wings galore.

[@bell_eau]

becoming more flexible involves 3 major components 1) neural (nervous system) 2) muscular (muscles) 3) connective tissue nerve controls the contraction of muscle 2 types of safety mechanisms 1) sense of stretch and figures out when stretch is excessive, and if so it activates contraction of muscles 2) sense of load, when tension is excessive and exceeds a threshold, then Golgi Tendon Organs shut down motor neurons so that you cannot contract muscle i.e. lift the weight 5 minutes per week across 5 days of static stretching seems to be the most effective in increasing limb range of motion Anderson principle: one's limb range of motion for specific body parts is not the same every day (e.g. one might not always be able to reach one's toes) so just feel the muscles contract when doing low-intensity static stretching at the end range of motion (not too the point of pain but rather relaxing) and evaluate your progress over the long term mice can do stretching (xD) to reduce tumor volume practitioners of yoga learn how to control their nervous system in ways that reshape the relationship to pain, flexibility (e.g. respiration in yogis vs distraction in non-yogis)

[@philipbarrett3732]

"for you aficionados out there" - A.Huberman, every podcast! Love it.

[@Bluebird22200]

An animated visual of what you are talking about would take the videos to the next level.

[@14lisawho]

Just wondering why you don’t use any visual aids? I appreciate you for sharing so much valuable, actionable information with us. A few diagrams, vocabulary/definitions and other illustrations could enhance and clarify the information. I know you spend a lot of time preparing your podcasts already and creating visual aids may require more time than you have. It’s just a thought.

[@KR-ei2fw]

🙏 I’m dealing with osteoarthritis in my hip at 50 years old.This helped me understand some of what’s going on with the pain. I subscribed to your premium. I appreciate all of this free invaluable content and wanted to support you. I would love information on preventing and dealing with osteoarthritis.

[@AdAm4SkAtInG]

As a newly qualified Physiotherapist I’m very pleased with the timing of this pod! Can’t wait to dig in 🙌🏼

[@handsandfeet7913]

How does a physiotherapist differ from a physical therapist?

[@AdAm4SkAtInG]

It’s the same profession, Physiotherapy is just what we call it in the UK/Europe and I believe in Australia and NZ too.

[@kathopler2827]

Yes, the fact that this is free is the bomb Doc. Your doin such a great service spreading & sharing the science like this. Beautiful ,helpful uplifting info for so many struggling people who would be priced out of learning . Great job as always. My fav

[@heatherwanshon942]

YES!!! I am so excited you are sharing some of the many benefits of YOGA! I have been practicing yoga for 6 years and it has changed my life. It is the only exercize that I have been able to stick with long term and it has made me more mentally and physically healthy than I have ever been. You have not conducted a single video/podcast that has not been extremely interesting and beneficial but this one is my favorite. Thank you for all you do!!! ✌️👍🧘‍♀️

[@kerlchin]

Dear Dr. Huberman, On September 22 I was diagnosed with a 4th grade glioblastoma, a very aggressive brain cancer. Normally patients with this type of cancer die within 3 to 6 months after having been diagnosed. But I am still alive, thanks to hard training (mountain bike, swimming and weight training, intermittent fasting, cutting out sugar, salt and white wheat in my diet. And of course: very cold showers till 90 seconds long Months ago a friend sent me a cutout of one of your interesting podcasts. It was only one sentence, talking about ....."people who do not have adrenaline in their bodies, finally die of their cancer...." something like that. Since then I have been looking through all your interviews and podcasts, but I could not find this particular sentence, so far. But I am sure that what you had to say on the issue would be very important to me and help me to surive this tumour. So I would like to ask you, if you could please send me the link to this interview , where you mentioned this, so that I can hear all of what you said on this very topic. Thank you very much and best regards from Barcelona.

[@Christian_Prepper]

2:00:54 *FINAL SUMMARY* *Static stretching - low/zero momentum ("micro stretching" 30-40% of pain threshold)* *Frequency: 3 sets of 30-60 second hold times, 5 minutes minimum per week per muscle group, stretched out over 5-7 days per week.* *Warm up before stretching.* 24:00 Rare knowledge 34:00 Mind over matter 52:30 Major Types of Stretching: dynamic (more controlled momentum involving movement of limb) ballistic (like swinging arm over head) = static, PNF stretching (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation [using straps, loads or partner to help stretch]) 1:52:00 Pain tolerance

[@resiliencecounsellingcoach1870]

A wonderful teacher who captures one’s attention and delivers information in a dynamic way…thank you

[@falcon127]

I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A Ph.D. IN STRETCHING AFTER WATCHING ALL 2 HOURS! GREAT INFO! GREAT JOB ANDREW!

[@guru_stu]

There are three basic poses that you will want to find balance. Standing sitting and lying down. Finding balance is the thread that is definitive to all of the thousands of years of yoga. Balance emotionally mentally physically socially to make the world a better place for humans that want to make the world a better place. This is an outstanding discussion Andrew. You are a great and wonderful person.

[@jennifertygielski1480]

Love every episode! Would love an episode on headaches/migraines which I’ve struggled with for years. What is happening in there that causes such pain? Thanks Doc!

[@NofirstnameNolastname]

I'd definitely start googling already if it is this bad for you. I'm still thinking that it can be food based. But there can be many different causes probably or a combination of causes. Either way with every ailment I always start by telling folks to "sort" out their health,habits,food etc and by the fact that you are here listening to all the podcasts already means you are smart enough to do all of that yourself and you probably already have and it's not helping enough and in that regard I feel you. I have so many issues and I can manage some by perfect living according to science and you know optimizing everything I do with health and longevity in mind. But it's not magic either, some things we have to accept :(

[@humanbodyacademy]

In a simple words: "You don't use it, you lose it!" (or vice, versa...) Whether we are old or young, the principle applies It's called adaptability of the muscular system, which can create health or hell Very interesting anyway. Thanks for that evidence-based stuff ,Professor Huberman !

[@Alejandro.Rendon]

E

[@martinoosthuizen5833]

These episodes are great! I think you make the world a better place. Thanks Andrew. Wish there was a way I could get my teenage boys to listen to them and implement these various protocols. Maybe an episode on teenage neuroscience and what protocols can be followed to have them listen to their dad would be a great idea :)

[@LovelyG769]

Honestly, I've been trying to figure out a routine for the longest time by comparing my experiences as a sprinter and dancer. Now I'm someone who stands for 12 hour shifts and is moderately active otherwise. The decrease in mobility over the last 3 years is alarming. It's so much less overwhelming to make adjustments to my movement routines and pick realistic goals now that I know how the results come to be. I love this podcast. It represents why I decided to study biology and I hope others find the details as exciting.

[@davebgallowaygm1566]

Another very informative session. I have changed my asana routine to include the 30% pain threshold and 30 seconds x 3 protocol. No more rushing just to day "I did them". Thanks so much!!

[@Christian_Prepper]

*Will spend 5 minutes explaining deep science about spindle tissue during a 2 HOUR podcast but will say "unfortunately we don't have time to go into this in too much detail today".* 😂

[@lior6222]

It's insane that you've condensed all of this knowledge in such a simple to understand and practical way!

[@sovereign775]

Would like to see Andreo Spinea (or if not him a review of the literature in regards to functional range conditioning and why it works) on the show!

[@jeleckamip6514]

I'm so glad to be a part of this community!!

[@swayson5208]

[@middleagedteenager1874]

Me too 😀

[@nancydelahuerta45]

Would love to hear an interview with Dr.Kelly Starrett. I’ve a CPT for 10 years, been following Dr.Kelly for all those years and the Huberman lab for the last year or so, many of the protocols from both I’ve been able to use personally and with clients, it has allowed me to serve my clients better and improve their life. It’s amazing the amount of knowledge you two have shared with the world, for that I’m extremely grateful.

[@suzikirby1973]

I so look forward to my Monday "classes". Thank you for your effort. This lifetime learner appreciates you immensely.

[@BlueSunShine1012]

Hey adriene!!! Many years ago i was deeply in love with yoga & now after a long hiatus of unhealthy toil on my mind& body i once again seek yoga to help me find peace& regenerate the connection of mind body& spirit.. i want to be a better mother for my daughter & i kno that means taking care of myself.. your videos have brought me a lovely introduction back to yoga i look forward to them as a part of my daily routine thank you for ur kind spirit& the gratitude& appreciation u lovingly give not just for the practice of yoga but for those who are along the journey with u .. im so grateful for u thank u!! Namaste...

[@emilybarry9410]

This episode speaks to my soul! I have Hypermobility Elhers Danlos, so extreme flexibility comes naturally to me (I should have made use of this by joining Cirque De Soliel). Personally, I have found strength training to be a fantastic way for me to increase mobility (strength in flexibility ranges) and prevent injuries. For most people though, I think a balance between strength and flexibility (along with cardio, power, and balance) to be a great to increase longevity and offset injuries. Thank you Andrew for another fantastic episode, and accompaniment to my evening training session🙏💜🤗

[@mysterydiaz5302]

I do not have Ehlers Danlos, but I have always been extremely flexible.… I have always used my outside limits of flexibility and came to believe that lack of strength and too much flexibility facilitated loose ligaments and disc issues. Ever since I had a bulged disc at I think it’s L4. And ended up with terrible SI joint pain And the doctors wanted to do surgery. I wasn’t having it. It was a long journey until I found an athletic performance training center. I was getting still more physical therapy… I kept seeing all these giant athletes coming in and out from next-door. I was curious. They had a program for adults kids and elite athletes. The owner whose name I would love to promote here I don’t know if it’s allowed said that he could help me. I was doubtful since none of the physical therapy or chiropractic or Pilates or anything else that I had done had helped. It was a miracle. He helped me. He knew the specific exercises that I needed to do to strengthen the whole posterior chain. I was hoping he might be able to help me get past my hip problem but it was just deteriorated too bad and I had to have a surgery. So I couldn’t agree with you more about strength training. I tend to go overboard on things so I should probably throw in some stretching by now🤷‍♀️

[@politelyimpolite]

I love the podcast. I have been concluding my resistance training and cardio workouts with approx 20 mins of static stretching (diff body parts) 5 x a week for 2 years now and so happy to see that my protocol is reasonably accomodated within the protocols explained here. I was stretching just for pain relief etc., but now I have the confidence of the science.

[@peterjohn1217]

If there's an opportunity to chat with Kit Laughlin on this subject it'd be a great conversation. He has decades in the field and has a PhD also. I've followed his Stretch Therapy training in the last decade and have found it to work better than most other protocols. He has a number of books as well as a KZbin channel.

[@mikegburnside]

Much appreciated and needed presentation, with lots of recent citations. Microstretching is proprietary. Dr. Nikos Apostolopoulos

[@maryammohammed7386]

Recommendation, a video about self control and will power please 🙏

[@CMartinSalomon]

Try some Fasting increasingly...I just did 7 days... Feel increadble

[@maryammohammed7386]

@@CMartinSalomon yeah i do fast on Mondays and Thursdays as a worship in Islam

[@christywang4012]

1. holding static strenth for 30sec, 30~60 sec won't improve the range of motion 2. how many sets to maintain and improve range of motion? 5 days per week up to three weeks can see significant improvements

[@robertotoledo1910]

You are a extraordinary individual Mr. Andrew, 🙏👌👍💪I have read several books on PNF, static stretching, Ect, and all of the above and I also practice , however I came across your channel and it has been Super beneficial to say the least ,I love all of the information you have provided in very specific detail and this seminar is going to be one that is going to be added to my collection, thank you 🙏

[@mediareviewingme7651]

My University should count this channel as a grad course, I would call it “Applied Neuroscience”

[@DiamondNoor95]

This podcast was perfect for me, I’ve been practicing stretching & working on increasing my mobility particularly in my hamstrings which I’ve found to be tight and more challenging to loosen up. I’m really interested in learning about fascia because I heard that it has a pretty significant effect on mobility and I really hope that you will do an episode on just fascia. Thank you so much for taking time effort and mental energy to share & explaining everything for us! You’re awesome!

[@cordellsenior9935]

What a primer. I cannot commend you enough for this presentation. Thank you. So much of the exact content and intel I've been searching to find and hear; articulated and delivered so clearly and concisely (without going above my head) that even a Martian can fully grasp and digest it. I encountered yoga first in 2001 and began a serious practice (at least 3 days a week) in 2011. That turned into 5 to 6 days a week some time thereafter. The more yoga you do ....the more you SHOULD do. Its methodologies can be considered as the body's inherent tool kit which you can learn to use for development and maintenance of strength, flexibility, pliability, balance, musculoskeletal and joint integrity, breath and proprioception. It's a way to simultaneously engage each and all of the somatic 11 systems that operate independently and inner connectively like Swiss watch. It's a kick-ass MINDFUL workout that constantly develops the body, rather than break it down, as done in more typical modalities (running, jumping, pounding weights, etc.). . CHEERS.

[@HarriHautaniemi]

I used to be stiff on side split. 5years ago i spent 6 months to strengthen my end ROM (range of motion) by just going into my max side split position and hold it without any support, thus building muscles to the leg muscles. After that 6 months, doing these strenght trainings once or twice a week (i had to have 3-6days rest days) i was finally able to do the splits COLD. I dont stretch at all. But for other reasons than gaining more flexibility, stretching should be done. Definitely! Good podcast.

[@munazzahsheikh6050]

Wait what strength training did u do? U mean holding the splits?

[@HarriHautaniemi]

@@munazzahsheikh6050 indeed. Hold the split with ur own leg muscles only.

[@valbennett445]

Than you so much for this episode. It was the only thing that helped me through my flight on Sunday. I have really bad anxiety and panic attacks. I needed something interesting to focus on and take notes to distract myself. This podcast saved me. I am hyper mobile and really stretchy to the point that it causes people to stop and stare. I have always been really flexible. I am going to go back and listen again now that I am on the ground and can focus properly. Thank you for getting me through my flight, you have no idea how calming this was for me when I was panicking. I also do many physiological sighs before, during and after the flight.

[@zachsprinkle9139]

This video goes right in line with all my research of stretching over the years. I have always been incredibly tight, and as a yoga teacher I do my best to arm myself with the proper knowledge. Humans seem to be either strong and tight, or weaker and flexible....to have both is gifted. For myself. PNF(contraction relax) and active stretching give the best results. I am also injured ...passive static stretching tends to aggravate my injuries. I have to have muscle activation to get them to release. Bottom line is if you really want to increase range of motion, stretching must be structured just like a weight training program. As the "Doc" mentioned. You aren't just gonna roll out of bed and stretch for 10 minutes 5 times a week. You need to be warm, activate muscles, and a light or heavy weight session is gonna serve you best in gains in range of motion. I train flexibility with every workout at the end or integrated as a part of strength.....also a weak muscle tends to be the most stubborn to lengthen.

[@udyret28]

Please give us more information about chronic pain and potential methods to alleviate suffering from it. I realize you have already done work on pain, but you seem uniquely qualified to help so many people. You could hardly find another cause of suffering that extends to so many millions of people around the world that is also so under-treated and poorly understood by patients.

[@iforgot87872]

Huberman is an absolute beast. The knowledge dumps are epic.

[@Cominthroughlikeazoo]

Bodyworker here! Great video as always 🙏. I would just add that a proper assessment is crucial. Static stretching is great for the nuts and bolts of the anatomy, however if there’s what I call “facial displacement” usually due to a high stress load, or a hyper sensitivity/ inability to deal with emotional discomfort, static stretching won’t do much in reducing pain. Resistance stretching is the way to go if that’s the case. From here you can confirm that facial tissue is the main contributor to pain, by assessing before and after pain, and if you hear popping noises coming from the joints those pops should dissipate then disappear usually after 5-7 reps

[@emirflows]

Hey Andrew, thanks for all the great content! Could you please do a series on how different types of drugs (alcohol, marijuana, MDMA, psychedelics, etc) affect the brain and body and what the best practices/protocols of usage are to minimize harm/maximize benefit? Thank you.

[@dee_909]

Thank you Dr. Huberman for explaining complex concepts into an understandable form. Also, thank you for being so down to earth & genuine.

[@jibreelalgeria3420]

Your podcasts have me feeling like I have a PhD in psychology lol. Amazing. Thanks Hue your podcasts has helped me understands many things about myself.

[@lindalembeck7286]

Loved this podcast. Learned everything you have been saying from my yoga teacher Marilyn Studley over 40 years ago who learned it from her teacher Swami Satchidananda. Thank God science is catching up to this long yogic tradition.

[@mb5970]

Thanks for this, thanks for everything you do for your viewers/listeners!

[@xjazz666]

Only one word for all the content you're providing: THANK YOU. It's changing my life. Take care of yourself.

[@astrol4b]

Not even seen it yet, I already wish I could upvote multiple times.

[@luckyjones5289]

I keep the good habits ! Every weekday after work or fitness at night, I watch one or more Dr. Huberman's awesome interesting topics !

[@suwpoqzwn19]

Would love to see an episode on OCD. Thanks Doc! 🙏

[@robfield2302]

lol

[@CeceKruchkoSmith]

He spoke about it on the episode just last week.

[@lisaviliamu_TraumaCoaching]

Yes please 🙏 more 60 to 75min classes. Thank you 😊

[@sara-rivkayekutiel4464]

I use breath to tolerate my cold shower. Although primarily a karate practitioner I do yoga daily to enhance my karate. Thank you for this excellent podcast!

[@al1976-v7m]

As a (former) Physio and Yoga instructor/practitioner, i'd like to compliment you on this concise summary. Good luck with taking up your Yoga regimen!

[@ZeynepAksoyReset]

As a yoga teacher and practitioner, this podcast is a great support! Thank you 🙏🏼

[@donnaoneill9654]

Some of it is over my head but I understand enough to make a change in my life for the better. I am 75 and I want to prolong my life and improve my overall health including my mind (memory, reasoning and grey matter ) body (flexibility, mobility, balance). I had cancer and now have precancerous cells so I want to give myself the best chance possible and at least a better quality of life so I can spend it with my beautiful family. Thank you for your time and effort in putting this video together. I know it’s for a younger audience but I can tailor it for my situation and at least I have some new information to work with.