Hyperbolic Stretching is a rising star in the world of fitness programming’s “next best thing.”
The programme is based on the concept that full-body flexibility can be improved in four weeks (eight minutes per day!) and that men and women require different stretching strategies to reach their fitness goals.
The application claims to be suited for both beginners and specialists. Is it, however, as genuine as it appears?
Stretching is considered a cornerstone of any successful fitness routine, despite the fact that it has no scientific basis.
Despite the absence of proof that stretching warms muscles, reduces pain, or enhances recovery, fitness gurus have preached the value of stretching for decades.
The trouble with seeing stretching as a cure-all is that it doesn’t work for much else than expanding range of motion.
“Stretching as therapy primarily rides on the coattails of stretching’s indomitable popularity for other purposes, especially the practically universally accepted belief that flexibility is a pillar of wellbeing and fitness, on par with strength and endurance,” observed Paul Ingraham of PainScience.
“Unfortunately, that claim cannot be supported by scientific evidence. Over the last two decades, science has debunked every widespread belief about the benefits of stretching.”
Hyperbolic stretching is the new kid on the block. The program’s purpose, according to Alex Larsson, is to teach users a habit that makes a lot of big promises.
Larsson is a former computer programmer who turned his back on his sedentary lifestyle to become a flexible specialist.
The issue, according to Larsson, was a “complete neuro-muscular shutdown in my back, hips, and hamstrings.”
He doesn’t make the connection between this incidence and the creation of his programme completely.
If the number of users he claims is accurate, people aren’t concerned about being disconnected.
Hyperbole, the fundamental word in the programme title, comes from the Greek word for “excess.”
The program’s basic principle is excessive or exaggerated stretching with the ultimate goal of obtaining the splits, therefore hyperbolic stretching seems to suit the description. It’s not just about increasing range of motion; it’s also about getting you to do splits.
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What is hyperbolic stretching and how does it work?
The programme claims to enhance flexibility, muscular relief, core strength, pelvic floor and hip power, among other things.
The website doesn’t say much more, but several other reviews with very identical information mention that the programme has some unusual side effects.
The programme is said to strengthen muscles, improve flexibility and agility, raise confidence and self-esteem, and increase vitality, according to reviewers.
The therapy can help with incontinence, spinal cord disorders, and joint pain, among other things.
Some claim that users will be able to accomplish a full split (without warming up!) as well as increase their bedroom performance.
The treatment also claims to boost nitric oxide synthesis and human growth hormone release.
These reviews, predictably, include affiliate links to the programme. This one appears to be managed by Larsson, but it lists him as a flexibility and penis enlargement expert, rather than a general fitness enthusiast, and so the target demographic appears to be different.
The pelvic floor muscles are the program’s principal focus. Theoretically, many people are unable to acquire maximum flexibility due to “survival reflux.”
The treatment claims to stop this “tension reflux,” allowing for new levels of flexibility and mobility.
Those with an anatomy or physiology background who are thinking, “That’s unusual, I’ve never heard of “survival reflux” or “tension reflux,” I believe you can safely substitute those words with “reciprocal inhibition” to be in the same ballpark.
A warm-up series, split test, exercises for weeks one through four, and a flexibility maintenance regimen are included in the five-phase programme.
Larsson’s digital programme comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee. Instant access to online videos is provided to buyers.
The videos can only be seen online. Because there is no way to download or save the application to your computer, it can only be used when you have access to the internet.
A one-time fee of $27 grants you access for the rest of your life. Grab This offer
Even if they can’t do a full split, most users appear to have more flexibility. Dr. Daniel Lopez of Lakewood, Colorado, reports a reduction in his long-term low back discomfort, but it wasn’t easy.
He described the programme as both challenging and unsettling.
Lopez believes that people who have lower-body tightness will benefit from the exercise more than the average healthy person.
“I believe the product would assist the broader public, but I believe there is a more specialised population that would benefit the most,” he stated.
People with chronically tight muscles in their legs and hips, such as those who feel “unusually unpleasant” when bending forward to touch their toes, are the ones he’s talking about.
There was only one review that did not contain affiliate links. Chris Worfolk, a triathlete and psychologist from Leeds, U.K., documents his progress in a scientific way before and after.
Worfolk’s video shows him unable to attain a complete split on Day 1 and then four weeks later.
He measured his distance with household furniture, so it’s not exact, but he appears to have gained minor flexibility.
He maintained the regimen for another four weeks and discovered that, while he had made some progress, he was still far from a full split.
In his video, Worfolk makes an important point: if you follow the instructions, you should see effects from any stretching regimen after eight weeks.
In conclusion, he stated that the programme appears to improve flexibility, but it is unlikely to provide a speedy path to full splits if that is what you seek.
I couldn’t locate anything in the way of testimonials about the program’s other alleged effects.
Users aren’t bragging about how much stronger they are, how much higher their self-esteem is, or how much better they are at nighttime activities.
Is hyperbolic stretching a valid technique?
I’m not sure what “muscular relief” implies based on the statements it makes about it. I’m guessing this is a reference to muscle pain alleviation.
Increased vitality, enhanced sexual prowess, the release of human growth hormone, and the synthesis of nitric oxide and human growth hormone are all claims made by non-official sources.
Which precise claim you refer to determines whether or not this product is genuine. Stretching promotes flexibility, and there is plenty of data to support this claim.
The data on stretching’s pain-relieving effects is mainly favourable. Neck pain was reduced by stretching and strengthening as well as stretching alone, according to a 2008 study in Clinical Rehabilitation, however participants were marginally more likely to perform their assignments when stretching solo.
One of the most outlandish claims, that the practise boosts male virility, appears to be backed up by science.
The regimen claims to increase nitric oxide production, which may improve sexual performance. Grab this opportunity
It turns out that exercise is an important factor in the creation of nitric oxide. The increased oxygenation needs of our bodily tissues stimulate the synthesis of nitric oxide.
Nitric oxide acts as a vasodilator, allowing for a higher blood floor and more oxygen where it’s needed.
This includes vasodilation and increased blood flow, which help women get and keep an erection as well as stimulate their sex organs.
As a result, increasing nitric oxide production through exercise can help with sexual performance.
Does hyperbolic stretching help you to be more flexible?
It’s simple to uncover proof that stretching increases flexibility. After all, the purpose of stretching is to enhance flexibility. Medeiros et al.
studied the effects of static stretching on hamstring length in healthy young adults in a comprehensive review and meta-analysis published in 2016.
Because of the wide range of methods utilised in the research, the study found that static stretching is helpful for improving hamstring flexibility but stopped short of offering recommendations for stretching parameters.
A comprehensive review and meta-analysis of PNF stretching approaches for hamstring flexibility published in 2019 indicated that hold-relax and contract-relax stretching are better than nothing in terms of developing hamstring flexibility, at least in the short term.
There was little indication that these strategies were superior to any other approach in the long run.
That said, it’s conceivable that hyperbolic stretching users notice quick results from their stretching routine, but it’s possible that the result isn’t due to anything intrinsic in the application.
Instead, it’s the amount of time you spend stretching that matters, not the technique you use.
If you’re anything like me, getting everything done in a day requires efficiency. I have some wonderful news for you, if you’re a loyalist who is willing to go the extra mile. You can stretch while doing your strength workout!
During weight training, focusing on slow, controlled movement through a full range of motion can be just as beneficial to muscle length as dedicated stretching time.
Not only that, but there’s more. You can stretch one side of the joint while strengthening the other if you get really proficient at applying reciprocal inhibition.
The muscles on one side of the joint will relax to allow the muscles on the opposite side to contract.
Employing bilateral shoulder external rotation to stretch the pectoralis minor, using a bridge to assist hip flexor relaxation through glute contraction, and back to wall scaption to stretch the lats, triceps, and rhomboids are some of my favourite examples.
Reciprocal inhibition can be a game-changer when it comes to flexibility, especially if you’re short on time or simply enjoy getting in and out of the gym.
Does hyperbolic stretching help women with cellulite?
That’s a no-no. Cellulite is caused by deep fat deposits that are no longer restricted by our body’s collagen fibres.
This can happen at any age, although it usually happens as part of the natural ageing process. Our connective tissue weakens as we age, we exercise less, and voilà! Cellulite is visible.
The good news is that we can make a difference. Cellulite can be reduced through strengthening rather than stretching.
The greatest way to reduce the look of dimples on your hips, buttocks, and belly is to improve muscle tone and reduce overall fat deposits.
Is it true that hyperbolic stretching boosts muscle mass?
Stretching has been shown to increase muscle mass in animals, however the research is obsolete and may not be applicable to humans.
The latissimus dorsi in quails was studied in a 30-year-old study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.
Loads ranging from 10% to 35% of the bird’s body weight were connected to their right wing (the left wing served as a control) and left there to hold the weight for a period of time (i.e. stretch).
The birds followed a 28-day routine in which their weight was increased or they rested. The right-wing muscle mass has risen by 318 percent after 28 days.
This mostly bird-brained idea appears to have been popularised by a well-known Mr. Olympia.
The assumption behind this “stretch to gain mass” mind process appears to be that by lengthening the tissue that constrains muscle fibres, more space for the muscles to expand is created.
Yes, you read that correctly. These sacrificial lambs…err, birds promoted the idea of extending the fascia to increase muscle fibre breadth.
The nicest thing is that the technique mentioned isn’t even close to stretching. It’s not difficult to imagine.
You might get stronger if you work your chest (like a bench press) and then lay on a bench for a minute with the dumbbells in a maximal stretch position for your chest (think parallel or just past parallel to your body).
The muscle is functioning isometrically to maintain the stretch position, just like the bird wings!
Of course, your body will expand fibre size in accordance with the SAID principle (specific adaptations to given demands).
Holding the bottom of a squat (when the quads are longest) or the extended position of a bicep curl might cause this.
That isn’t groundbreaking or a stretch miracle. That is fundamental science.
Does stretching make you weaker?
Well, that is debatable. Short-duration static stretching (30-45 seconds) has no adverse effect on strength, power, or speed tasks, according to a systematic review published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.
Static stretching for more than 60 seconds, on the other hand, was likely to result in a considerable drop in performance.
Short-duration stretches characteristic of a pre-exercise routine are unlikely to impact performance, according to these findings, based on a dose-response effect between stretching and performance.
More research on how stretching affects performance backs up these findings. The researchers looked at static stretching, dynamic stretching, and PNF stretching to see if the style of stretching made a difference in power or strength-based task performance.
According to the findings, all three methods of stretching caused little to moderate changes in performance.
Longer stays were associated with larger performance impairments, implying a dose-response relationship between static stretching and performance.
Dynamic stretching, on the other hand, appears to improve minor to moderate levels of performance when done right before the exercise.
If you can’t stop stretching, it can be wise to add this form of warm-up.
Is stretching beneficial to the production of human growth hormone (HGH)?
We’d have to be talking about some serious stretching to make this claim!
Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, looked at the effects of high and low-intensity exercise on human growth hormone in a groundbreaking study.
Healthy volunteers cycled for one, five, and ten minutes at high or low intensity on a cycle ergometer.
HGH levels in the blood did not significantly increase after low-intensity exercise, but they did considerably increase after high-intensity exercise.
Even to the untrained eye, the body of literature on HGH and exercise is huge and entrenched in sophisticated human and exercise physiology, but one thing is clear: to impact hormone secretion through exercise, the effort must be intense enough.
Does hyperbolic stretching help you lose weight?
Most likely not. It’s not impossible to lose weight by stretching, but stretching alone isn’t enough. There’s a way to make this make more sense.
If you add 10 to 15 minutes of stretching at the end of your workout, you’ll boost the amount of energy your body requires right when it’s burning through fat stores.
In the simplest terms, regardless of the intensity of the work, our primary source of energy is glycogen stored in the liver.
Our bodies switch to fat-burning mode once that energy source is depleted.
It takes about 30 to 40 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise for most people to exhaust glycogen stores and begin using fat for energy.
If you plan on working out for an hour, just the last 20-30 minutes will be dedicated to fat loss. The faster you burn through glycogen and enter fat-burning mode, the faster you burn fat. Stretching burns calories, but it’s a stretch to argue it helps fat loss.
Does stretching help to relieve stress or tension?
The alleviation of stress and tension is one of the best indirect consequences of stretching.
Stretching before night can assist enhance sleep quality by reducing mental stimulation, especially when respiratory control is emphasised.
Regular physical activity is well-known for keeping us healthy and reducing stress. Irritability, worry, insomnia, and anger are all symptoms of stress.
Physical symptoms such as muscle tension, upset stomach, headaches, or discomfort can be caused by several types of mental stress.
Stress hormone secretion is reduced by exercise. You can help your body stay out of the “fight-or-flight” reaction by moving more to reduce the amount of adrenaline or cortisol in your blood.
With better management of these hormones, you can better manage your reactions to stressful events.
If you’ve seen the movie “Legally Blonde,” you’ll know that exercise boosts the production of endorphins. ‘
“Exercise gives you endorphins,” Elle Woods famously said. Endorphins are joyful hormones. “Happily married people just do not shoot their husbands.”
Should you execute full splits and high kicks without warming up?
Most likely not. High kicks and full splits aren’t something most people do on a regular basis. You wouldn’t test your bench press max without a full warm-up, so don’t do these moves cold.
It’s generally fine to do high kicks and full splits without a warm-up if you do them every day.
If you don’t warm up, spending time developing an overall body warm-up to improve muscular flexibility will be beneficial.
Is there any evidence that hyperbolic stretching has any genuine benefits?
I believe the hyperbolic stretching programme has some advantages. I believe the approach can assist you if your aim is greater flexibility rather than splits.
The remaining advantages stated by the programme are either unproven or would be associated with any sort of exercise — not just stretching and not necessarily this type of stretching.
Lopez and I are usually in agreement. “I decided with the cheap price point and the money-back promise, I would check it out and see if there was anything to it given my lifelong history of low back discomfort and tension,” he said of his choice to purchase the programme.
Traditional stretching is a grey area for me as a physical therapist. Although I believe there are some worthwhile benefits, I have observed that when I give patients a programme that involves stretching and strengthening, the majority of them return and say they only completed the stretches.
While that’s better than nothing, I find that strength training provides more benefits, therefore I prefer to focus on that Grab this offer instantly
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