Chinedu Obiekea—aka Andrew Jacked—may be one of the biggest bodybuilders in the Open Division, but he’s also one of the most “flex-ible” competitors on the scene as demonstrated in a recent post on the big man’s Instagram account.
The Nigerian IFBB Pro loves to limber up during workouts, as evidenced in recent astonishing photos that show the 6’ 2” behemoth stretching his leg higher than his head. “How often do you even stretch,” he asked his 840,000 plus followers. While we are often treated to clips of bodybuilders pushing and pulling gargantuan weights, the concept of the flexible bodybuilder is less prevalent online, but there are a number of reasons to follow AJ’s lead and limber up.
Andrew Jacked Demonstrates His Incredible Flexibility
AJ’s super-stretching ability stems in large part from his training as a kickboxer, but it is also valuable in the gym. Studies show that stretching increases our joint range and both prevents and alleviating injuries. But experts have been divided on whether hyper-extending our limbs helps us to build muscle.
However, there is evidence to suggest that the biggest gains via stretching can be made by using apparatus such as a resistance band or with some type of external force adding to a deeper stretch. The most hypotrophy is also often observed when stretching is practiced between sets, no doubt adding to the breaking down of the muscle so that it can build back stronger.
“In conclusion, passive, low-intensity stretch does not appear to confer beneficial changes in muscle size and architecture; alternatively, albeit limited evidence suggests that when stretching is done with a certain degree of tensile strain (particularly when loaded, or added between active muscle contractions) may elicit muscle hypertrophy,” explained a 2020 review.
Whether stretching is effective for muscle building, or not, it’s a practice that all bodybuilders should consider adding to their arsenal. “My daily stretch routine involves so many kinds of movement including the Static and Dynamic stretches,” explained AJ in a previous YouTube video with Dr Carlos Gamero. “Controlling the movements to prepare my muscles, ligaments and other soft tissues for performance and safety.”
So, how often you YOU stretch? And if the answer is never, we’ll let you tell Andrew Jacked yourself.
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