How To Feel Less Pain When Stretching - (With This Science-Based Technique)

A Science-Based Technique to Reduce Stretching Pain
Have you ever stretched and wondered, "Is this pain truly essential for gaining flexibility?" 💡 Turns out, it might not be as necessary as we thought. In today's video, I explore the nuances of stretching pain and share a science-based method I discovered to alleviate it.
We're talking about the "gate control theory of pain" introduced back in 1965. This theory suggests there are ways to "trick" our body and modulate the sensation of pain. The most fascinating part? It's backed by years of experience and testing and can be applied to almost any exercise you want.
📌 Stretching Pain & Gate Control Theory Explained:
Whether you're a novice or a pro in flexibility training, understanding the gate control theory of pain can be a game-changer. We often accept pain as part of the stretching process. While stretching pain can often be inevitable as you train close to your maximum range to progress, understanding how to manage that pain significantly impacts the overall intensity of your flexibility journey. Fortunately, there's an effective method that not only reduces pain but also offers numerous additional benefits for your overall performance and health.
Just a reminder for more videos like this:
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References:
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23034...
www.sciencedirect.com/science...
link.springer.com/referencewo...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31424...

[@RunarLundvall]

Ridiculous quality on this channel

[@Bazilisk_AU]

Can confirm. I think I've been unconsciously doing this for a while. That's why every time I try to do static passive stretching it's always painful so I end up pushing 'into' the stretch to make it feel less painful.

[@YiannisChristoulas]

Exactly. Its like you’re already kind of doing strategy 1

[@poweredman]

Oh wow. I don't know if this was a direct response to my comment on your previous video about the pain I had been experiencing doing this kind of workouts, but I'm happy you've covered this issue

[@michaelcushman]

I have never liked stretching because I find it so painful. After watching your Active contraction Passive Range videos, I instantly experienced pain relief as I flex. I noticed right away. I'm now stretching with this method almost every day. Excellent progress and little pain. Thank you so much for sharing this content!

[@nikolaoscharkon]

Yet another very helpful video, thank you! You have great content!

[@YiannisChristoulas]

Thank you Nikola!

[@jeroend1899]

I noticed this too. When I relax into the stretch it tends to be more painful, but when I put tension on the muscle this eases up. I figured it was because when contracting, I also slightly bend the joint, shortening the muscle.

[@mrsbootsworkouts]

Great information!

[@YiannisChristoulas]

Thank you!

[@gonkula]

NIce one master Yiannis!

[@YiannisChristoulas]

🙏🙏🙏

[@KSGaming737]

yep i have also experienced this

[@trevneo129]

Interesting perspective. I’ve been teaching the Reciprocal inhibition and Golgi tendo organ theories instead. Same outcome,different explanation.

[@YiannisChristoulas]

In the contraction of the agonist muscles, like the Contract Relax, we aim to trigger autogenic inhibition, and since we activate the agonist muscle (the one that is stretched) we also get reduced pain. In reciprocal inhibition, we contract the antagonist muscle. So in this case the agonist is stretched and also being relaxed by the antagonist contraction through reciprocal inhibition. In these cases we get much more pain. I’ve seen most people having more pain in reciprocal inhibition than simple passive static.

[@factzculture]

Brother can you make video on knock knees correction

[@FlemetAeton]

I wonder if this is why when I have an unbearable pump during strength training, the kind where you are flailing your arms in all directions to find a second or two of relief, I actually want to do another set because the next set reduces the pain for me…. Until the set is over and I’m flailing my arms worse. Always thought this was weird.

[@Izabela-ek5nh]

Well... I feel far more pain when I contract even a little bit 😅 then Inrelax and gondeeper and this phase hurts much less. Maybe I'm weird...

[@RRR20238]

If low intensity passive static stretching is more effective than moderate or high intensity passive static stretching, why would you do passive static with such high intensity, that you need to find ways to reduce levels of pain, that you shouldn't ever reach in the first place doing passive static? Does low intensity passive static just stop working after a certain point?

[@t0mare0m08]

How long do I need to warm up before stretching? I guess I can't do it without it

[@gene3344]

Given the "gate control theory", shouldn't pains other than the ones caused by stretching also be reduced by muscle contraction?

[@nekokna]

This is the common way to improve flexibility by strenghtenning the antagonic muscles while streching?...when you release,the other muscle activates and as youre already tired you relax, go further without pain and also train your nervous system to resist less.

[@YiannisChristoulas]

Not thing like that. In reciprocal inhibition we train the antagonists. Here, we train the agonists, aka the ones that we feel the stretch. The basic idea is that if the same muscle feel both “pain” and “contraction”, it mostly sends the contraction signal. Therefore you feel less pain. The methods that contract the agonists (like the Contract Relax) aim to trigger the antigenic inhibition, relax the nervous reflexes and improve range of motion. Reciprocal inhibition works in a different way