What Science Actually Says About Getting More Flexible — No Cherry Picking
Yogaland Podcast
Andrea Ferretti
4.8 • 1.5K Ratings
🗓️ 21 April 2026
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
As yogis, we’re certainly aware of the many benefits of stretching — but are you aware of what the research actually says about how to stretch effectively? Or how to evaluate that research honestly?
On this week’s Yogaland, I’m sharing meta-analyses and systematic reviews to give you a clear, accurate, and intellectually honest picture of what actually increases flexibility.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why dynamic and passive stretching work through completely different mechanisms — and why you need both.
- What the research consistently shows about stretch intensity — and why moderate intensity outperforms both light and maximal stretching for tissue adaptation.
- The sweet spot for hold duration — and why total weekly volume matters more than any single session variable.
- The most important and most under-appreciated variable in flexibility training.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I often get asked by listeners how they can support the show, and now I have a way that you can. |
| 0:05.0 | So you can support the show through the ACAST supporter feature. Just go to supporter.acast.com |
| 0:11.6 | slash yoga land. It's up to you how much you give and there's no regular commitment. |
| 0:16.4 | I so appreciate any contribution you want to make and know that the funds go toward paying my producer |
| 0:22.4 | and other people who help me create this show. That's supporter.acast.com slash yoga land. |
| 0:29.4 | Hey everybody. Welcome to Yoga Land. I am Jason Crandall. And this is a big episode. This episode, we really |
| 0:36.6 | look at what the data says about how long you should |
| 0:41.6 | stay in a pose to increase flexibility, how many times per week to stretch to increase flexibility, |
| 0:48.7 | what are the different types of stretching, what is the most efficient way to combine them and more? |
| 0:55.3 | So in this conversation, we really break down protocols. |
| 0:59.1 | And I do my best to just cut through so much of the noise that's out there. |
| 1:04.0 | I am not coming at this conversation from a specific ideology. |
| 1:09.7 | I'm coming at this conversation |
| 1:11.5 | to look at what the actual data says, |
| 1:14.9 | and there is a ton of research on stretching protocols, |
| 1:19.1 | literally a ton. |
| 1:20.8 | And I think one of the things that is most surprising |
| 1:23.1 | to most yoga teachers |
| 1:24.6 | is that it is extremely consistent. There are dozens and dozens of studies |
| 1:32.7 | over the years about stretching protocols. And most of them have really similar findings. |
| 1:39.1 | And so we're going to look at those in this conversation. If you want to watch this on Jason |
| 1:43.8 | Crandall Yoga YouTube, you can, |
... |
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