Stretching for weightlifting: What should you focus on?

I like to take a very simple approach to stretching. Usually just one key area will open up a while new range of possibilities - see what I did there?

Figure out limiting factors

Identify that one area first. If you don’t have much experience yet, a quick assessment from a good coach is worth the time and money. Why spend hours stretching everything only to find out later on that it was just one problem area. Obviously some people are stiffer than Donald Trumps toupé but even then it’s likely a bit of focused effort will get a greater return than trying to do everything at once.

Focus on 1-2 static stretches 

Now you have your 1-2 areas/muscles/joints to work on, pick just one or two stretches that you feel are effective. It is important that you feel a stretch, and that you can spend time there without fighting it so hard you get nothing from it. Discomfort is ok, required even, but real pain is unnecessary and not hugely productive anyway.

Time here is key. To make real change I feel you need to spend a good 3-4mins on a stretch before then moving in a way that uses that extra range. Body weight is good but a small amount of load is often a nice way to ‘accept’ that new range. You’re trying to teach your body that those positions are safe, useful and comfortable so you can’t rush in and out like a dynamic stretch pre-training.

Spend time moving through positions 

Movement variety is key to keeping and gaining more range. Loaded, unloaded, slow, paused, dynamic all will have the effect on making your improvements in range the ‘new normal’. Weightlifting is perfect for that but you must still be intentional. You’re chasing good positions not just the end ranges of joints. A good position is one you can load safely, time and time again without it becoming stressful to the more passive structures such as ligaments and cartilage. This is often referred to as the distinction between active and passive ranges of motion (ROM). One we can use to our advantage and the other exposes us to greater risk of injury. Build active ROM.

Dynamic ranges prior to training

What to do with all this new found movement? Even after years of lifting and being able to sit comfortably in a squat for long periods of time unassisted, I find that I get benefit from dynamic stretching prior to training. It acts partly to get my mind in the right place for training, but also I feel like it’s a mini assessment each time I warm up. I quickly find anything that needs a little more attention and can go back to the foam roller if needed.

Key areas for weightlifting:

It’s largely individual in regards to what is tight or restricted but the movements of the snatch, clean and jerk all require some common ranges. In my experience many lifters need some work in these areas:

• Thoracic spine mobility (extension primarily)

• Lats and triceps (tightness here limits your shoulders/arms ability to stack neatly overhead)

• Hip flexors (including the quads which if excessively tight can limit safe squat depth and split jerk position)

• Calf flexibility and ankle mobility (when not adequate achieving a deep squat is near impossible so your weightlifting success is pretty limited)