Over the past few months I have written posts about my change of beliefs regarding foam rolling and stretching as both means to increase range of motion and speed recovery time. I have received a lot of comments from people about these new beliefs as people try to rationalize why they may have changed in the first place. I want to stress the fact that just because something feels good, doesn't mean it's good for you in the way you were hoping it to be. When it comes to having greater range of motion, allowing your body to function better, and allowing the muscles to function better, the only way you can know if there is an improvement is if you test it. You need a system of checks and balances to ensure what your are doing isn't detrimental both immediately and in the short- and long-term.
Having said this, showing that you can sit down deeper when you squat or proving that you are now able to touch your toes after stretching and/or rolling out are not valid tests because joint mobility is ALWAYS trumped by joint stability. If you have range of motion at a joint that you cannot actively control, it does you no good to have that range from a performance and training standpoint. So unless you are muscle testing yourself after you stretch or roll out to prove that you are strong and stable at those joints and your muscles are firing properly around those joints, do not tell me how great these things are for you without expecting to be corrected. You are putting yourself at great risk of injury and limiting your training progress, and I can no longer endorse this behavior.
Charlie Cates, CSCS
Self Made®, Owner
Charlie Cates is a strength and conditioning specialist and the owner of Self Made® (http://selfmadefitness.com/) in Chicago, IL. He has worked with competitive and everyday athletes of all ages and ability levels, from 9-year-old kids to NFL MVP's. He can be reached via e-mail at charlie@selfmadefitness.com.
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