Preliminary research calls into question the old adage that stretching improves flexibility more than resistance training.
“Our results suggest that full-range resistance training regimens can improve flexibility as well as, or perhaps better than, typical static stretching regimens,” says James R. Whitehead, EdD, of the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks.
Also known as strength training, resistance training usually involves lifting weights in order to build muscle. You can also increase your strength by pushing or working against something that resists your weight, such as doing push-ups.
“There’s an old notion that if you do resistance training, you have to stretch those muscles too,” Whitehead tells WebMD.