Bend, Reach, Release: The Science of Flexibility

Imagine two athletes finishing a hard training session. One spends ten minutes stretching carefully; the other goes straight home. A month later, the first athlete is moving more freely and has had no muscle injuries. The second keeps pulling muscles and feels stiff every morning. Why might stretching make such a big difference? Think about what is actually happening inside your muscles and joints when you stretch. Jot down one or two ideas before you read on.