Tight Muscles or Stiff Joints?
Sometimes muscles feel tight because they’re doing extra work to stabilise a weak or unstable area. In these cases, strengthening the surrounding muscles often eases the tension more effectively than stretching alone.
For lasting joint and muscle health, controlled movement through your full range of motion is key. It builds flexibility, mobility, and stability all at once.
Your everyday movement habits - how you sit, stand, walk, and transition - shape your body far more than any short stretching session. Consistency in varied, full-range movement beats the occasional deep stretch every time.
In many yoga classes, we don’t just stretch - we also move. Every joint, every muscle, working together to build lasting freedom in the body.
Here’s How to Tell - and What to Do
Stretching targets tight muscles; mobility work addresses stiff joints.
Stiffness is joint-related (e.g., “My hips feel creaky when I get out of bed”). Move it.
Tightness is muscle-related (e.g., “My calves feel pulled taut after walking all day”). Stretch it.
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