To stretch or not to stretch that is the question?

So the stretching debate has been around for as long as I can remember.

Is stretching good or is it damaging?

Should bounce in your stretching ( ah the joy of the eighties)?

Should you hold your stretching for the longest point?

I watched a brilliant functional anatomist talk about why stretching is bad for us. Anyone who has ever talked to me knows I am a big fan of stretching so the idea that harm could be done seems irrational but the reality is he has a good point.
Animals don’t stretch as we would define stretching however they do prepare the body for movement by taking the body into an opposite direction to the one they have been in for for a while.
It’s within this movement that we prepare for movement calm or stress response and allow for easy movement.

The reality is that we have been designed to move. Move in incredible ways. Movement is our friend. It’s in the movement that a health position is obtain. It’s not about posture but in your movement.

That being the case many humans keep our movement to the horizontal and diagonal planes. We stand, sit and lie down. Most of it done in a slightly forward position. But you are able to twist and rotate and the more you gently increase these movements into your daily routine the better your body will be.

Will I be giving up on the stretching. NO!.

I LOVE stretching. I enjoy how my body feels however I will be incorporating more movement to my day as I continue to listen to what my body is saying as the more I communicate with my self the better my health will be.
What’s your body saying to you?