Is it enough to stretch to become more flexible?

I was recently asked this very astute question. Why astute? Because the answer is fairly counter-intuitive, which allows me to dispell a very common myth.

The short answer is: not really...

It's necessary to stretch to become more flexible, but in order to see real progress, it's a little more complicated than that. And that's because flexibility isn't primarily a muscle issue, but a nervous system issue.

"Again with her bloody nervous system??"

Hey! Don't shoot the messenger!

According to a study from 2025 (“Mechanisms Underlying Range of Motion Improvements Following Acute and Chronic Static Stretching: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis and Multivariate Meta-regression”), when a muscle resists being stretched, it's not because it's "too short" or "too tight". It's because your nervous system perceives the position as a threat and sends a protective signal: don't go any further. It's a safety reflex.

So forcing the stretch doesn't convince the nervous system to let go. If anything, it puts it on higher alert.

What actually creates lasting change is a combination of things.

  • Consistency over intensity: five minutes every day will do more than an hour once a week, because the nervous system learns through repetition, not suffering.
  • Breathing and consciously relaxing: a slow exhale sends a safety signal that literally allows the tissue to release.
  • And maybe most surprisingly, strengthening: a muscle that is strong in a lengthened position is a muscle the brain is willing to let go further.

Oh, and there's also the fascia to consider. The connective tissue that wraps around everything in your body needs at least two to three minutes of gentle, sustained hold before it begins to respond. That's why I love incorporating Yin Yoga in my personal practice and in my work with clients :)

In summary, you can see stretching as knocking on the door. Breathing, strengthening, and showing up regularly is what gets you invited in.

Wanna try something this week? Pick one stretch you do often, and hold it for three full minutes with slow, deliberate breathing. Notice what shifts in the last minute compared to the first.

Take care 🧡

Clem

PS: GUYS, MY ENGLISH PODCAST HAS RISEN FROM ITS ASHES!!! It's raw, and just a way for me to chat with you informally about the things I really want you to know about. I would love it if you gave a listen and a follow.

And please please let me know if you enjoy it, and if there's any subject that you'd like for me to cover. Everything that I write about comes from conversations with my wonderful clients, so I know you also have brilliant questions sitting around in your mind right now.

Here's the episode, where I talk about the science behind the wonders of the breath: