However, it doesn't (or shouldn't) hurt enough to make you want to cry out in pain- if it does then you are pushing yourself too hard and should take it more slowly lest you cause damage to your muscle fibres. When you stretch it will feel uncomfortable, and even painful if you are particularly stiff (for example I always find stretching to be particularly sore when I'm stiff from muscle fatigue after long periods of exercise).
If you wish to improve your flexibility with minimum amounts of discomfort or injury then take your stretching slowly. Make sure you warm up first, perhaps running or skipping for 5-10 minutes to get the blood flowing and muscles/joints warmed up/lubricated. Then perform a low-intensity stretch for 30seconds-1minute, shake the muscles out and then perform a medium-intensity stretch for the same time, and again for a harder stretch, shaking the muscles out each time. Do this every day and you will quickly see your flexibility improve within a few weeks. Make sure to warm down after stretching with some more light exercise and light stretches. Rubbing substances such as Thai Liniment on your muscles before stretching can also help.
Your stretches shouldn't be so light that you dont feel it, but not so painful that they make you want to cry out in pain- there are many flexibility guides available on the internet, and many video tutorials on youtube etc. I would suggest using beginners martial arts flexibility tutorials to start off, as they seem to be more reliable than others.
It takes time just stretch n push a little. Not too much tho n ull end up going further and further n stretch before u exercise and after wen ur muscles are warm this lets you get a deeeper stretch!
Good luck
stretching does hurt, but only if you are not flexible. It only feels good to stretch when you are sore. If you want to be able to touch your toes better, stretch just enough that it hurts, but hold the stretch as long as you can. It wont pull anything if you hold it.
Lightly bounce the limit. If you stretch once or twice every day, it should start improving within a week or more likely a month. It ALWAYS hurts
it should hurt! as my dance teacher says, "if it doesn't hurt, you're not trying hard enough." you shouldn't push yourself so hard that you'll pull a muscle or something, but in order to become more flexible, you need to deal with the pain.
I need to be more flexible, I can just barely touch my toes. When I try to stretch it hurts. People keep telling me stretching should not hurt and if it does you're either doing it wrong or pushing too far. But if I don't push further than my normal limit, how can I get more flexible?
