Stretching is a fitness goal many men ignore until it’s too late.

Don’t be one of them. Despite the alleged femininity of flexibility, it is highly applicable to the masculine man.

Some of you might be groaning already, saying that this is predominantly a “woman’s goal” of fitness, citing the always-prevalent female desire to “tone” and “lengthen” muscles without adding bulk. And while stretching certainly accomplishes these things, there are many benefits specifically for the masculine man, such as…

Without going into too much anatomical detail, let me just say that a properly done stretch applies the pull to the muscles rather than a tendon or ligament. Muscles evolved to move, pull, contract, agonize, and antagonize. Ligaments attach bone to bone and tendons attach bone to skeletal muscle, both of which are tough connective tissues that evolved to basically keep things in place. They are made of collagen, which is meant to withstand and “hold fast” in response to tension, not stretch and move in the direction of the tension.

Stretching, thus, essentially, conditions the muscle fibers to their maximum plasticity and elasticity (for those who don’t remember physics class, plasticity is the capability of being stretched, elasticity is the capability of returning to the original length once the pressure is taken off). If you feel any pain in places you know joint tissue exists such as the hip sockets, the spine, the groin, the ankles), you’re doing it wrong. Try again with proper form…

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